Department Tranzo, Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands.
Department Organization Studies, Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands.
Health Soc Care Community. 2020 Jan;28(1):116-126. doi: 10.1111/hsc.12846. Epub 2019 Sep 6.
Social networks are sources of support and contribute to the well-being of older adults who are ageing in place. As social networks change, especially when accompanied by health decline, older adults' sources of support change and their well-being is challenged. Previous studies predominantly used quantitative measures to examine how older adults' social networks change. Alternatively, this study explores the impact of changing social networks on older adults' lives by examining their personal experiences. We held four focus groups, two with a total of 14 older adults who are ageing in place and receiving home care and two with a total of 20 home-care nurses from different regions and organisations in the Netherlands. Subsequently, an expert team of home-care professionals and managers discussed and verified the results. Procedures for grounded theory building were used for analysis. We revealed four themes of high-impact experiences: (a) struggling with illness/death of the spouse; (b) working out a changing relationship with (grand)children; (c) regretting the loss of people they have known for so long and (d) feeling dependent and stressed when helpers enter the network. Also, network dynamics were found to follow three consecutive stages: (a) awareness of social network change; (b) surprise when social network change actually occurs and (c) acceptance and adjusting to new circumstances. Together, the four themes of experiences and three stages of network change form an integrative model of the role of social network dynamics for older adults' lives when ageing in place.
社交网络是支持的源泉，有助于那些就地老龄化的老年人的幸福。随着社交网络的变化，尤其是伴随着健康状况的下降，老年人的支持来源也发生了变化，他们的幸福感受到了挑战。以前的研究主要使用定量方法来研究老年人的社交网络如何变化。相反，本研究通过考察老年人的个人经历，探讨了社交网络的变化对老年人生活的影响。我们举行了四次焦点小组会议，两次共 14 名正在接受家庭护理的就地老龄化老年人，两次共 20 名来自荷兰不同地区和组织的家庭护理护士。随后，一个由家庭护理专业人员和管理人员组成的专家小组讨论并验证了结果。使用扎根理论构建程序进行了分析。我们揭示了四个具有高影响力的体验主题：(a)与配偶的疾病/死亡作斗争；(b)与(孙子)孙女建立变化的关系；(c)对失去他们认识已久的人感到遗憾；(d)当帮助者进入网络时感到依赖和压力。此外，还发现网络动态遵循三个连续阶段：(a)意识到社交网络的变化；(b)社交网络变化实际发生时感到惊讶；(c)接受并适应新情况。总之，四个体验主题和三个网络变化阶段构成了一个综合模型，说明了社交网络动态对老年人就地老龄化生活的作用。
