Abstract
Objective: Long-term care (LTC) facilities are increasingly intent on creating a “homelike” atmosphere for residents. Although residential staff are integral to the construction of a home within LTC settings, their perceptions have been relatively absent from the literature. Method: Thirty-two LTC staff participants were interviewed about their experiences and perceptions of the physical environment and conceptualizations of home, and thematic analyses were conducted. Results: An overarching category—interpersonal relationships—emerged from our analyses emphasizing the importance of relationships in creating a homelike environment within institutional settings. Sub-themes that inform our understanding include the following: (a) Staff members’ perceptions of home; (b) “Their second home”: Adjustment to and familiarity in LTC; and (c) “We become family”: Relationality makes a home. Discussion: The study provides evidence to inform current policies and practices in LTC. Specifically, enough time and space should be given.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 842-857 |
Number of pages | 16 |
Journal | Journal of Aging and Health |
Volume | 29 |
Issue number | 5 |
Early online date | 22 Apr 2016 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 22 Apr 2016 |
Keywords
- Caregiving
- interpersonal relationships
- nursing homes
- gerontology