Perceptions of Technical Director of Nursing Home About Associated Factors and Intervention Strategies to Reduce Loneliness Among Older Adults
Loneliness is one of the most prevalent problems faced by older nursing homes (NHs) residents. Technical Directors (TDs) of NHs can play an important role in combating loneliness, so it is important to understand how they perceive this phenomenon. This study aimed to describe the perceptions of TDs...
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MDPI AG
2025-04-01
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| author | Duarte Vilar Joana Guedes Sónia Martins Marisa Accioly Marisa Silva Sidalina Almeida Sandra Elvas Tatiana Ferreira |
| author_facet | Duarte Vilar Joana Guedes Sónia Martins Marisa Accioly Marisa Silva Sidalina Almeida Sandra Elvas Tatiana Ferreira |
| author_sort | Duarte Vilar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Loneliness is one of the most prevalent problems faced by older nursing homes (NHs) residents. Technical Directors (TDs) of NHs can play an important role in combating loneliness, so it is important to understand how they perceive this phenomenon. This study aimed to describe the perceptions of TDs about factors associated with loneliness and relevant areas of training and intervention. A total of 163 TDs (mean age = 42 years; 90% female) filled an online survey. The main NHs factors related to loneliness were residents’ mental and physical health problems; mistreatment in care provision; poor relationships between residents, with staff and family/friends; loss of loved ones; and family members’ work schedules and their geographical distance. Intervention domains that need to be improved were the policy of greater proximity to families and community, partnerships with the outside world, civic participation by residents, technical team diversity, and increase of staff/resident ratio. Dementia care, stress management, crisis intervention, person-centered care, and coping with death/bereavement were identified as relevant themes in professional training. This study appears as a relevant contribution to the deepening of knowledge not only about the phenomenon of loneliness among older residents in NHs, but also about the perceptions of TDs regarding this problem. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d3df73329dfa4f0fa834d5ff9d4fefac |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2076-0760 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Social Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-d3df73329dfa4f0fa834d5ff9d4fefac2025-08-20T01:56:42ZengMDPI AGSocial Sciences2076-07602025-04-0114526410.3390/socsci14050264Perceptions of Technical Director of Nursing Home About Associated Factors and Intervention Strategies to Reduce Loneliness Among Older AdultsDuarte Vilar0Joana Guedes1Sónia Martins2Marisa Accioly3Marisa Silva4Sidalina Almeida5Sandra Elvas6Tatiana Ferreira7Lusíada Research Center on Social Work and Social Intervention (CLISSIS), University of Lusíada, 1349-001 Lisboa, PortugalLusíada Research Center on Social Work and Social Intervention (CLISSIS), University of Lusíada, 1349-001 Lisboa, PortugalResearch Center in Social Work Science (CICSS), Higher Institute of Social Work of Porto (ISSSP), 4460-362 Senhora da Hora, PortugalSchool of Arts, Sciences and Humanities, University of São Paulo (EACH-USP), São Paulo 03828-000, BrazilLusíada Research Center on Social Work and Social Intervention (CLISSIS), University of Lusíada, 1349-001 Lisboa, PortugalLusíada Research Center on Social Work and Social Intervention (CLISSIS), University of Lusíada, 1349-001 Lisboa, PortugalLusíada Research Center on Social Work and Social Intervention (CLISSIS), University of Lusíada, 1349-001 Lisboa, PortugalLusíada Research Center on Social Work and Social Intervention (CLISSIS), University of Lusíada, 1349-001 Lisboa, PortugalLoneliness is one of the most prevalent problems faced by older nursing homes (NHs) residents. Technical Directors (TDs) of NHs can play an important role in combating loneliness, so it is important to understand how they perceive this phenomenon. This study aimed to describe the perceptions of TDs about factors associated with loneliness and relevant areas of training and intervention. A total of 163 TDs (mean age = 42 years; 90% female) filled an online survey. The main NHs factors related to loneliness were residents’ mental and physical health problems; mistreatment in care provision; poor relationships between residents, with staff and family/friends; loss of loved ones; and family members’ work schedules and their geographical distance. Intervention domains that need to be improved were the policy of greater proximity to families and community, partnerships with the outside world, civic participation by residents, technical team diversity, and increase of staff/resident ratio. Dementia care, stress management, crisis intervention, person-centered care, and coping with death/bereavement were identified as relevant themes in professional training. This study appears as a relevant contribution to the deepening of knowledge not only about the phenomenon of loneliness among older residents in NHs, but also about the perceptions of TDs regarding this problem.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/14/5/264aginglonelinessnursing homes |
| spellingShingle | Duarte Vilar Joana Guedes Sónia Martins Marisa Accioly Marisa Silva Sidalina Almeida Sandra Elvas Tatiana Ferreira Perceptions of Technical Director of Nursing Home About Associated Factors and Intervention Strategies to Reduce Loneliness Among Older Adults Social Sciences aging loneliness nursing homes |
| title | Perceptions of Technical Director of Nursing Home About Associated Factors and Intervention Strategies to Reduce Loneliness Among Older Adults |
| title_full | Perceptions of Technical Director of Nursing Home About Associated Factors and Intervention Strategies to Reduce Loneliness Among Older Adults |
| title_fullStr | Perceptions of Technical Director of Nursing Home About Associated Factors and Intervention Strategies to Reduce Loneliness Among Older Adults |
| title_full_unstemmed | Perceptions of Technical Director of Nursing Home About Associated Factors and Intervention Strategies to Reduce Loneliness Among Older Adults |
| title_short | Perceptions of Technical Director of Nursing Home About Associated Factors and Intervention Strategies to Reduce Loneliness Among Older Adults |
| title_sort | perceptions of technical director of nursing home about associated factors and intervention strategies to reduce loneliness among older adults |
| topic | aging loneliness nursing homes |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/14/5/264 |
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