Abstract
Background: Older people living in nursing homes have been defined as one of the risk groups for severe COVID-19, due to their high age and frailty. Yet, there is a notable paucity of empirical research specifically relating to how older people themselves experience the threat of the virus and the pandemic. Close to nothing is known on what impact pandemic-related restrictions have had on the everyday life of older persons in nursing homes, and this study therefore set out to explore everyday life in a nursing home during the COVID-19, as experienced by the people living there.Methods: A random sample of 10 persons aged 85 to 100 years, living in a nursing home in an urban setting in Sweden were interviewed in June 2020. The nursing home was publicly run and had been impacted by visitor restrictions, cancelled activities and physical distancing requirements since March 2020. The participants were recruited through nursing home management and were interviewed over a two-week period using medically approved visors and physical distancing. The interviews were analysed using thematic analysis, which involves familiarisation, coding and definition of themes.Findings: The nursing home represented a bubble, protecting the persons living there from the virus but isolating them from the outside world. The older persons felt taken care of and lived one day at a time, without fear of the virus, but they also felt that they were in the hands of others, and they had lost the opportunity to do what really mattered.Interpretation: The findings provide empirical support for negative consequences of visitor restrictions, physical distancing and cancelled activities for people living in nursing homes. This knowledge could be applied internationally to understand how to support meaningfulness and health in everyday life despite strict restrictions to diminish the risk of contracting SARS-CoV-2.Funding: The Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare (FORTE).Conflict of Interest: None declared.Ethical Approval: Ethical approval was obtained from The regional ethical board in Gothenburg (ref. no. 813-18).
Published Version
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