The risk to enduring relationships following the move to a care home

Aim. To explore findings from a study which investigated the meanings that older people attributed to their experiences of living in a care home and consequently the risks that they identify in this. Background. There is evidence from this and other studies that being able to engage in long-time friendships is important to older people. The move to a care home has the potential to disrupt these relationships and there is a risk of breakdown of the friendships that have been valued throughout life. Method. A hermeneutic inquiry that explored the meaning that eight older people ascribed to their life in the care home. This paper focuses on the narratives that concerned relationships with long-time friends and the risks to these relationships. Results. The paper highlights the importance of engaging in meaningful relationships with other people. The participant's stories illuminated the importance of maintaining friendships following the move to a care home and how these had had a positive impact on their lives in that setting. With advancing age and increasing frailty the participants were acutely aware that their friendships were vulnerable to breakdown and they implemented a range of strategies to sustain their relationships with these people. Conclusion. The findings point to the importance of acknowledging the value of long-time friendships to older people and the need to support them in their efforts to sustain these relationships and reduce risks to them.