Tatiana Ferreira

Loneliness is one of the most prevalent problems faced by older nursing homes (NHs) residents. Technical Directors (TDs) of NHs can play an important role in combating loneliness, so it is important to understand how they perceive this phenomenon. This study aimed to describe the perceptions of TDs about factors associated with loneliness and relevant areas of training and intervention. A total of 163 TDs (mean age = 42 years; 90% female) filled an online survey. The main NHs factors related to loneliness were residents’ mental and physical health problems; mistreatment in care provision; poor relationships between residents, with staff and family/friends; loss of loved ones; and family members’ work schedules and their geographical distance. Intervention domains that need to be improved were the policy of greater proximity to families and community, partnerships with the outside world, civic participation by residents, technical team diversity, and increase of staff/resident ratio. Dementia care, stress management, crisis intervention, person-centered care, and coping with death/bereavement were identified as relevant themes in professional training. This study appears as a relevant contribution to the deepening of knowledge not only about the phenomenon of loneliness among older residents in NHs, but also about the perceptions of TDs regarding this problem.