A qualitative study of friendships in old age: The case of a nursing home in Turkey

Abstract

This study aims to understand, discuss, and describe the unique friendship dynamics of the elderly. A qualitative method-phenomenological design was adopted to obtain in-depth information. The study group comprised nursing home residents (n = 17), with nine female and eight male residents over the age of 65. The data collected through two focus group interviews were analyzed using MAXQDA 2018-Version 2018. According to the data analysis, sub-codes for the definitions of friendship by the elderly could be separated into five generic categories: behavioral processes (assistance, sharing, boundaries, altruism, and graciousness); cognitive processes (trust, respect, commitment and fidelity, compatibility, and morality); affective processes (intimacy and requirement); structural characteristics (openness, vigilance, reciprocity, and support during good times and bad); and distinctive features (despair, references to the past, health competence, and caregiver as a friend). Although it has been recognized that the elderly offer similar statements as other age groups with regard to the emotional, behavioral and cognitive definitions of friendship, it has been observed that they often refer to the past when they are expressing their friendships and that establishing and maintaining friendships depend on their health status and capabilities. Establishing a friendship with the caregiver is a remarkable characteristic of this period. The results of this research, which aimed to examine the friendship dynamics of the elderly, can be a resource for researchers who discuss the theory of friendship and aging and can be used as a source for the development of elderly care, social support services, and preventive mental health programs for the elderly.