Psychosocial needs of the elderly in institutional care

Teoretična izhodišča: Z naglim naraščanjem starega prebivalstva naraščajo tudi psihosocialne potrebe starostnikov. Stari ljudje potrebujejo več socialnih stikov in spodbude k aktivnemu življenju, materialno varnost, zagotovljen občutek pripadnosti, ljubezni in spoštovanja. Ugotavljali smo vidik zagotavljanja psihosocialnih potreb s strani negovalnega tima do stanovalcev v institucionalnem varstvu. Raziskovalna metodologija: Raziskava je temeljila na kvantitativni metodologiji, z uporabo dveh anketnih vprašalnikov strukturiranega in delno strukturiranega tipa. Vzorec anketiranih je skupno izpolnilo 35 članov negovalnega tima in 37 starostnikov bivalne enote v dveh domovih za starejše. Za obdelavo podatkov smo uporabili računalniški program SPSS in znotraj tega programskega paketa statistični test hi- kvadrat. Rezultati: Raziskava je pokazala, da so psihosocialne potrebe starostnikov v obeh institucionalnih varstvih s strani anketirancev v večini zadovoljene. To je razvidno tako na področju vključevanja starostnikov v različne dejavnosti kot na področju vključenosti svojcev v domsko varstvo ter v dobrih odnosih s člani negovalnega tima v institucionalnem varstvu. S strani anketiranih članov negovalnega tima so psihosocialne potrebe starostnikov v upoštevanju individualnih želja glede potreb starostnikov zadovoljene slabše (t = -2,477, p = 0,016), čemur vzrok pripisujemo pomanjkanju negovalnega kadra in slabši strokovni usposobljenosti kadra. Sklep: Starostnikom je potrebno posvetiti več časa, zaposliti višje število negovalnega kadra in tudi pridobiti prostovoljce v institucionalno varstvo, da bi se ti ukvarjali s starostniki, se z njimi pogovarjali, jih spremljali, ter jih spodbujali k vsakodnevnim aktivnostim. Potrebno je kontinuirano izobraževanje za člane negovalnega tima, s področja psihosocialnih potreb starostnikov za preprečitev socialne osamljenosti v institucijah.Theoretical background: With the rapid increase of elderly population psychosocial needs of elderly people are increasing. Elderly people need more social contacts and incentives for a more active life, need to be materially safe, need to have the feeling of belonging, being loved, and respected. The point of ensuring psychosocial needs by nursing team towards residents of institutional care was being determined. Research methodology: The study was based on quantitative methodology, using two different questionnaires, a structured and a semi-structured one. The total sample of respondents met 35 members of nursing personnel and 37 elderly housing units in two nursing homes. SPSS programme was used for data processing and within this software package Statistical chi-square test was used. Results: The research showed that the psychosocial needs of elderly in both institutional care homes were mostly satisfied. This is evident both in terms of the integration of the elderly in various activities such as the inclusion of relatives in residential care and in good relations between the elderly and the nursing team in institutional care. By the surveyed members of the nursing team psycho-social needs of older people in regard to the individual wishes of the needs of older people are met worse (t = -2.477, p = 0.016), reason for that being lack of nursing team, and poor qualification of personnel. Conclusion: More time should be devoted to elderly, a higher number of nursing team should be employed, and volunteers should be gained in institutional care in order to take care of the elderly, to talk to them, accompany them and encourage them to everyday activities. Continuing education in psychosocial need of elderly for members of nursing team is necessary to prevent social isolation in institutions