Challenges for staff encountering older people's existential concerns
Author Information
Author(s): Malin Sundström, Kerstin Blomqvist, Margareta Rämgård, Anna-Karin Edberg
Primary Institution: The Research Platform for Collaboration for Health, Kristianstad University
Hypothesis
What are first-line managers' views on the challenges faced by staff when encountering older people's existential concerns in home and residential care?
Conclusion
Regular conversations among staff and improved skills in listening and understanding older people's perspectives are essential for addressing their existential concerns.
Supporting Evidence
- 80% of first-line managers reported that their staff sometimes or frequently had conversations about existential concerns with older people.
- 73% of managers indicated that their staff received support when encountering existential concerns.
- Major hindrances to existential conversations included cognitive impairment and staff insecurity.
Takeaway
This study found that staff caring for older people often talk about deep topics like life and death, but they sometimes feel unsure about how to have these conversations.
Methodology
A cross-sectional study using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods with a self-administered online questionnaire.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the low response rate and reliance on self-reported data.
Limitations
The study had a low response rate, which is common for digital surveys, but the sample is considered representative.
Participant Demographics
The mean age of participants was 51 years, with a majority being women (83%) and having backgrounds in social work (41%) or nursing (25%).
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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