Experiences of moving an older parent into a care home or nursing home in the UK: a qualitative study

Abstract

The study explored the personal experiences of individuals making the decision to move an older parent into a residential care facility via retrospective narrative. It aimed to gain an understanding of how individuals experienced this transition, the emotions they felt at specific moments throughout the transition, and the perceived effect it had on their psychological wellbeing. 13 semi-structured video interviews were conducted online with individuals who had been active in the decision of moving an older parent into a care home or nursing home. The data was analysed using thematic analysis, along with relational analysis to explore relations between themes. Findings informed 8 different themes, which were subsumed under three meta-themes of The Decision Process, Conflicting Emotions and Reflective Evaluation. It was found that the decision was recalled as a complex and often stressful negotiation between multiple stakeholders, that emotions ranged from grief to guilt and relief, and that reflections emphasised the positive that had come out of the transition. The results from this study provide valuable insights into the uniqueness of this transition from the perspective of relatives and the range of emotions experienced at different stages of the transition.