Ethics and quality care in nursing homes: Relatives' experiences

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Dementia Care Research
• Qualitative Health Research

Background:

• Dementia affects 71,000 people in Norway, with 30,000 in nursing homes.
• Studies emphasize cooperation between staff and relatives for improved care.
• This study explores positive experiences of relatives, offering a different perspective.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate relatives' experiences with quality dementia care in nursing homes.
• To understand the impact of met and unmet expectations on relatives' perceptions of care.
• To gather insights for enhancing quality care in dementia units.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative design utilizing narrative interviews.
• Phenomenological-hermeneutical analysis of lived experiences.
• Study of eight relatives of long-term dementia care residents.

Main Results:

• Relatives' experiences are tied to whether their expectations for their loved ones' care are met.
• Met expectations correlate with feelings of engagement, inclusion, and a positive atmosphere.
• Unmet expectations lead to experiences of powerlessness, distrust, and guilt.

Conclusions:

• Quality care is perceived differently based on met and unmet expectations.
• Trust, power dynamics, and asymmetry are key factors in relatives' experiences.
• Findings inform the development of dementia care units focused on quality.