Nursing home residents speak about meaning at the end of life.

Three nursing home residents speak about meaning at the end of life.

Nursing ethics, Jan 2008, vol. 15, no. 1,
p. 97-109
Dwyer-Lise-Lotte, Nordenfelt-Lennart, Ternestedt-Britt-Marie.
Abstract
This article provides a deeper understanding of how meaning can be created in everyday life at a nursing home. It is based on a primary study concerning dignity involving 12 older people living in two nursing homes in Sweden. A secondary analysis was carried out on data obtained from three of the primary participants interviewed over a period of time (18-24 months), with a total of 12 interviews carried out using an inductive hermeneutic approach. The study reveals that sources of meaning were created by having a sense of: physical capability, cognitive capability, being needed, and belonging. Meaning was created through inner dialogue, communication and relationships with others. A second finding is that the experience of meaning can sometimes be hard to realize.