Nurturing Connection: The Emotional and Existential Dimensions of the Relationship Between Older Women and Registered Nurses in Aged Care.
Ariel Almevall, Karin Zingmark, Catharina Melander and 1 others
PMID 40611393WHAT IT FOUND
Older women and home-care nurses described their relationship as more than task delivery.
Women valued nurses who noticed their home, shared life beyond care, and stayed consistent; nurses felt time and turnover made this hard.
Key findings
01Emotional closeness and the nurse's presence were described as making the relationship more than task-based care.
02Both women and nurses described caring for the home as a way to build trust and understand the woman's life.
03Nurses prioritised continuity of care to reduce uncertainty caused by frequent personnel changes.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
All participants were women, so findings may not reflect older men receiving home care. Only women without cognitive impairment who received intensive home care were included, so findings may not apply to people with cognitive impairment or less support. The sample was small and purposive, from a Swedish municipal aged care organisation. There were no follow-up interviews to refine emerging insights. The study describes meanings and relationships; it does not show whether these practices change loneliness, well-being or care quality.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as proof that relational home-care visits reduce loneliness or improve outcomes. The study is qualitative and only describes what 11 older women and five registered nurses said about their relationship.