Older migrants' experience of existential loneliness.

Jonas Olofsson,Margareta Rämgård,Katarina Sjögren-Forss,Ann-Cathrine Bramhagen

doi:10.1177/0969733021994167

Abstract

Background:With rapidly ageing population worldwide, loneliness among older adults is becoming a global issue. Older migrants are considered being a vulnerable population and ethical issues are often raised in care for elderly. A deeper sense of loneliness, existential loneliness is one aspect of loneliness also described as the ultimate loneliness. Making oneself understood or expressing emotions, have shown to be particularly challenging for older migrants which could lead to experience of existential loneliness. Ageing and being a migrant are potential triggers for experiencing existential loneliness. There appears to be, however, little known about being a migrant experiencing existential loneliness in old age.Aim:This study explored older migrants’ experience of existential loneliness.Research design:Qualitative study.Participants and research context:Data were collected through interviews (n = 15) with older (>65) migrants’ in Swedish nursing homes or senior citizen centres. A thematic analysis was performed to analyse the data.Ethical considerations:The study was conducted in accordance with the principles of research ethics.Findings:The result was described in terms of three themes: (1) Choices made in life, (2) seeking reconciliation with life and (3) thoughts about death and dying in a foreign country.Discussion:Ethical reflection and knowledge about how older migrants’ life story can lead to experiencing existential loneliness, could be of use in care for older migrants’.Conclusion:This study indicates that the experience of existential loneliness derived from being a migrant is a long-term and significant process. Migration was a hope of creating a meaningful life, the experience of existential loneliness occurred as migrants sought reconciliation with life, reflected upon their past choices, and thought about death and dying in a foreign country.

Highlights

With rapidly ageing population worldwide, loneliness among older adults is becoming a global issue.[1]
Migrants experience of existential loneliness are described in terms of three themes: Choices made in life, Searching for reconciliation with life and Thoughts about death and dying in a foreign country
Our findings show that the long-term process of migration is an aspect of migrants’ experience of existential loneliness in old age as they in perpetually (1) accept choices made in life, (2) search for reconciliation with life and (3) cope with thoughts about death and dying in a foreign country

Summary

Introduction

With rapidly ageing population worldwide, loneliness among older adults is becoming a global issue.[1] Deterioration in health and higher risks for loneliness[2] often leads to negative impact on well-being.[3,4] Experiences of impending death, illness and physical limitations due to an inevitable ageing process are as Nursing Ethics XX(X). With rapidly ageing population worldwide, loneliness among older adults is becoming a global issue. Findings: The result was described in terms of three themes: (1) Choices made in life, (2) seeking reconciliation with life and (3) thoughts about death and dying in a foreign country. Migration was a hope of creating a meaningful life, the experience of existential loneliness occurred as migrants sought reconciliation with life, reflected upon their past choices, and thought about death and dying in a foreign country

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