https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0829-8249
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ABSTRACT
Purpose: All over the world, communities face the challenge of maintaining well-being among older adults. More specifically, understanding the resources required to establish and maintain well-being among community-dwelling older adults is an essential issue. Although longing from a caring science perspective is considered a driver for well-being, it has not yet been investigated among frail older adults. The aim of this study was to explore frail older adults’ experiences of longing in daily life and the relation between longing and well-being from a caring science perspective.
Method: The study uses a hermeneutical approach and follows a qualitative explorative design. The data comprises texts from 17 interviews with frail older adults and was analysed by content analysis.
Results: The results uncovered three themes: Longing for social contacts; Longing for nature and Longing creativity, aesthetics, and music. Longing was positively related to well-being when the older adults were able to fulfil their longings.
Conclusion: This study provides an understanding of the mechanisms of longing among frail older adults. Longing, here, is an inner resource for setting into motion the transition towards well-being. Further studies could focus on how frail older adults can be supported to combat the negative forms of longing in daily life.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the older adults who participated in this project and Linnéa Bäckman (student of social sciences) who conducted one interview and transcribed two of the interviews.
Author contribution
Jessica Hemberg contributed to the study conception and design, data collection, data analysis, discussion, and drafted the manuscript at all stages. Fredrica Nyqvist and Marina Näsman contributed to the study conception, data collection, and critical reflections. Venke Ueland contributed to the study’s theoretical framework and provided critical reflections.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Ethical approval
The guidelines of the Finnish National Advisory Board on Research Ethics (2012) were followed in this study. The municipality granted ethical permission to conduct the study. Approval to participate in the study was provided by the participants when providing their informed consent. The participants were informed both orally and in writing about the purpose of the study, confidentiality, withdrawal of consent and publication intent.
Additional information
Funding
Notes on contributors
Jessica Hemberg
Jessica Hemberg, and associate professor, is a senior lecturer in Caring Science (Health Sciences) at Åbo Akademi University in Vaasa, Finland. Currently she is the leader of a research project on loneliness and adolescents. Her thesis concerned basic research on health and she has done research within the field of loneliness, meaningfulness and quality of life amongst frail older adults. Other research areas are within ethical and existential issues of caring, compassion and co-creation in caring as well as on nursing leadership from ethical points of views.
Fredrica Nyqvist
Fredrica Nyqvist PhD, Associate Professor and Senior Lecturer at Åbo Akademi University, Faculty of Education and Welfare Studies, Social Policy Unit, Finland. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6554-8040
Venke Ueland
Venke Ueland PhD in Health Sciences and Associate Professor, 1. Amanuensis at Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Stavanger, Norway. ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5600-3348
Marina Näsman
Marina Näsman PhD candidate in MSocSc (Master of Social Sciences) and PhD student at Åbo Akademi University, Faculty of Education and Welfare Studies, Social Policy Unit, Finland. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0829- 8249