dc.description.abstract | Elderly living alone and how they experience their social needs are taken care of by home
nursing services
Elderly living alone and receiving help from the home nursing care can be in a risk of social isolation
caused by their loss of friends, relatives and health. The purpose of the present study was to gain a more
comprehensive understanding of how elderly patients living alone experience the help they receive
according to their social needs. Qualitative research interviews using a hermeneutic approach, was
undertaken to explore how the elderly experienced the contact with the community nurses. Results
showed that the community nurses achieve and establish contact with the patients primarily in a combination
with the practical care they carry out according to the patients need for practical help. The
degree of contact depends on each nurse as a person and their capability to be positive and narrative.
As an alternative to a lot of visits from different nurses during a week, the patients wanted a team of
experienced and capable nurses with whom they also could have an informal contact. | en |