[Wishes of nursing home residents concerning their life situation--results of a qualitative study]

Wishes and Needs of Nursing Home Residents: A Scoping Review

Falling birth rates and rising life expectancy are leading to global aging. The proportional increase in older people can be observed in almost all countries and regions worldwide. As a result, more people spend their later years in nursing homes. In homes where person-centered care is implemented, residents report greater satisfaction and quality of life. This approach is based on the wishes and needs of the residents. Therefore, the purpose of this scoping review is to explore the wishes and needs of nursing home residents. A scoping review of the literature was conducted in which 12 databases were systematically searched for relevant articles according to PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Both quantitative and qualitative study designs were considered. A total of 51 articles met the inclusion criteria. Included articles were subjected to thematic analysis and synthesis to categorize findings into themes. The analysis identified 12 themes to which the wishes and needs were assigned: (1) Activities, leisure, and daily routine; (2) Autonomy, independence, choice, and control; (3) Death, dying, and end-of-life; (4) Economics; (5) Environment, structural conditions, meals, and food; (6) Health condition; (7) Medication, care, treatment, and hygiene; (8) Peer relationship, company, and social contact; (9) Privacy; (10) Psychological and emotional aspects, security, and safety; (11) Religion, spirituality; and (12) Sexuality. Nursing home residents are not a homogeneous group. Accordingly, a wide range of needs and wishes are reported in the literature, assigned to various topics. This underscores the need for tailored and person-centered approaches to ensure long-term well-being and quality of life in the nursing home care setting.

Needs and Needs Communication of Nursing Home Residents with Depressive Symptoms: A Qualitative Study

Nursing home residents are affected by depressive symptoms more often than elders living at home. There is a correlation between unmet needs and depression in nursing home residents, while met needs positively correlate with greater satisfaction and well-being. The study aims to examine the needs of nursing home residents with depressive symptoms and the communication of those needs, as no previous study has explicitly addressed the needs of this group of people and the way they are communicated. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 11 residents of three nursing homes and analyzed them using content-structuring content analysis. The residents reported diverse needs, assigned to 12 categories. In addition, barriers such as health impairments prevented the fulfillment of needs. As to the communication of needs, various interlocutors, facilitators, and barriers were identified. The findings reveal that residents can express their needs and are more likely to do so if the interlocutors are patient and take them seriously. However, lack of confidants, missing or non-functioning communication tools, impatience and perceived lack of understanding on the part of caregivers, and residents’ insecurities limit communication of needs.