Social inclusion of older adults in care: Is it just a question of providing activities?

Abstract

We investigated the experiences of older adults in residential care in relation to social activity and inclusion. We also examined the explored phenomenon of resident's social inclusion from the perspective of those providing care for the residents. Our participants were 25 care providers and 25 residents drawn from five low-level-care residential facilities in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia. We used one-to-one in-depth interviews which were aimed at tapping into themes related to social inclusion. Of special interest to us was residents’ lived experience of social inclusion within the context of their lives in residential care. We found that although participation in activities emerged in our study as being valued and encouraged by care providers, residents were left feeling isolated, compromised, and as though they were not “at home”. We concluded that the difference between caregivers’ understanding and residents’ experiences of social inclusion highlights the need to shift the focus from the provision of activities as an indicator of social inclusion to gaining a deeper understanding of the lived experiences of those in care. We suggest that such a focus would assist in the care of the growing number of older adults who face the transition from their own homes to a residential care facility, and guide us toward a more meaningful understanding of “well-being” in this context.