Related Experiment Videos
Towards a Multidimensional Understanding of "Being Relative" in Residential Long-Term Care: Findings From a
Rouven Brenner1,2, Heidrun Gattinger2, Hanna Mayer3
1University of Vienna, Austria.
Global Qualitative Nursing Research
|June 29, 2026
Summary
Family members in long-term care facilities experience a unique existential state of "being relative." This involves navigating complex dynamics within institutional constraints, highlighting the need for support beyond functional roles.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Sociology of Health
- Qualitative Research Methods
Background:
- Relatives are integral to residential long-term care.
- Existing conceptualizations often focus narrowly on functional aspects like tasks or burden.
- A deeper understanding of the relatives' ontological experience is needed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the ontological condition of "being relative" in residential long-term care.
- To move beyond functionalist perspectives of relatives' roles.
- To identify the dimensions and characteristics of this existential state.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative, multiperspective study.
- Analysis of 30 "Integrated Encounter Analyses" from two Swiss long-term care facilities.
- Synthesis of participant observations and interviews.
Main Results:
- Identified eight constitutive dimensions of "being relative," organized into Situational, Relational, and Spatial-Temporal meta-dimensions.
- "Being relative" is a dynamic process, oscillating between alienation/resonance and subjection/agency.
- Agency is characterized by quiet negotiation within institutional constraints.
Conclusions:
- "Being relative" is a distinct existential condition of permanent liminality.
- The institutional context profoundly shapes this condition.
- Institutions should validate this threshold and support relatives' navigation, avoiding binary categorizations.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Documentation in Long-Term and Home Healthcare Setting
Documentation in long-term care facilities and home healthcare settings is crucial for ensuring continuous, coordinated, and comprehensive care for patients. Each setting has its specific documentation processes and tools:
Long-Term Care Facilities
Long-Term Care Facilities
02:20Longitudinal Research
Sometimes we want to see how people change over time, as in studies of human development and lifespan. When we test the same group of individuals repeatedly over an extended period of time, we are conducting longitudinal research. Longitudinal research is a research design in which data-gathering is administered repeatedly over an extended period of time. For example, we may survey a group of individuals about their dietary habits at age 20, retest them a decade later at age 30, and then again...
01:25Continuing Care
Continuing care describes the variety of health, personal, and social services provided over a prolonged period. The need for continuing care is increasing because people are living longer. Many people do not have families or others to care for them. Continuing care is mainly for patients who are disabled, functionally dependent, or suffering from a terminal disease. It is available within institutional settings or in homes. Examples include nursing centers or facilities, assisted living,...
01:26Longitudinal Studies
Longitudinal studies are also widely used in other medical and social science fields. For instance, in cardiovascular research, they can monitor patients' health over decades to identify risk factors for heart disease, such as high cholesterol or smoking, and evaluate the long-term effectiveness of preventive measures. Similarly, in mental health studies, researchers might follow individuals from adolescence into adulthood to understand the development and progression of conditions like...
01:19Restorative Care
Restorative care is provided once a patient has been discharged from a healthcare facility and requires additional services. The additional services include home care, rehabilitation programs, and extended care. Restorative care centers help the patient regain their previous level of functioning or acquire a new level of functioning due to the incapacitating effects of a disease or a disability. It aims to assist patients in enhancing their quality of life by encouraging independence,...
03:34Theory of Romantic Attachment in Adulthood
Attachment is a long-standing connection or bond with others. While Attachment Theory was conceived in developmental psychology to describe infant-caregiver bonding, it's been extended into adulthood to include romantic relationships.