The mental health of institutionalized older adults

Abstract

Introduction: The process of welcoming long-lived individuals in Long-term Care Facilities (LTCFs) for older adults has become a constant on the part of families, especially when observing the current panorama of ageism. Thus, either due to the lack of emotional conditions or to the practicality of providing outsourced care, countless older people are forced to adapt to a new environment, routine, and peers. It is evident the perception of countless difficulties on the part of these individuals in dealing with the obstacles inherent in the physiological process of aging, along with the storm of emotions arising from abandonment and incapacity. Moreover, as this is a vulnerable portion of the population, it is worth bringing to light the vision of older adults about their perception of health and how they feel about the interaction in this space and with their families. Objective: To understand the influence of family contact and interpersonal relationships on the mental health of older adults residents of a LTCF in northwestern Paraná. Methods: A descriptive exploratory study with a qualitative approach was carried out by applying a questionnaire, associated with a semi-structured interview, to older adults residents of a LTCF in the year 2021. Among the addressed information are the self-assessment of mental state, the way of admission to the institution, family contact, and the relationship within the institution. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed, according to similarity of content. Results: According to the collected data, the process of admission of most of the interviewees was consented and established by agreement between the older adult, their family, and social workers. Even with the adversities of the COVID-19 pandemic, the family members sought to be present through video calls, following the protocols of prevention to the disease. Another investigated aspect was the relationship between the residents and the professionals of the institution, which was established as nonconflicting, being mostly considered impersonal, with few reports that considered it as familiar. Finally, by the reports, we verified a good status of mental health, maintained through good coexistence and the implementation of collective and individual leisure activities by the institution. Conclusions: The interviewed older adults considered their stay, coexistence, and routine at the LTCF of great quality. Contrary to what was expected, most of the residents presented a good mental health status, as verified during the interviews. Few older adults residents in the institution presented a diagnosis of depression in their medical records.