Perspectives and experiences of caregivers regarding nursing home residents: a qualitative research

As the population of older individuals continues to grow, there has been a corresponding rise in the utilization of long-term care services. This trend is expected to continue as the proportion of older adults in the population increases. Working in nursing homes offers both fulfilling and challenging aspects. In the context of this study, the perspectives and experiences of nursing home staff regarding the residents they provide care for were assessed across the following domains: aging, challenges encountered in working with older individuals, strategies for coping with such challenges, observations pertaining to the older individuals and the caregiving process. Qualitative descriptive research design was used in the study. Interviews were conducted with a total of 15 caregivers working in a nursing home who were selected using purposive and convenience sampling. Data were collected through in-depth interviews. The interviews recorded were analyzed by using the content analysis method. Participants delineated their perceptions of old age through sub-thematic lenses of “dependency”, “my old age”, “diversity”, “return to infancy”, and “maturity”; they further summarized the challenges they encounter in the thematic categories of “Alzheimer’s”, “irritability”, “private space”, and “negative experiences”. Regarding coping mechanisms for the encountered challenges, the emphasized sub-themes are “peer support, patience, spiritual dimension, tolerance, empathy, and ignoring.” Participants’ observations concerning the nursing home residents manifested in sub-themes encompassing feelings of abandonment, adaptation process, engagement in activities, joy of having visitors, and attention. Ultimately, participants conveyed their feelings and thoughts regarding aged care service, encapsulated within sub-themes of love of job, need for training, and emotional burden. Nursing home caregivers described both positive and negative perceptions of old age and highlighted the importance of attention and social interaction in the care of nursing home residents. They also emphasized the need for training in aged care. These findings suggest that educational support for caregivers and institutional practices that support residents’ adaptation and meaningful interactions may be beneficial.