Oxford College of Emory University, United States of America.
Gerontology Institute, Georgia State University, Georgia.
J Aging Stud. 2022 Jun;61:101005. doi: 10.1016/j.jaging.2022.101005. Epub 2022 Feb 10.
Intimacy, a social relationship component, continues to be essential in later life, including for older adults in long-term care such as assisted living. Yet, no previous study has conceptualized how individuals experience intimacy holistically (i.e., broadly defined) and within the context of later life, health decline, and long-term care. The purpose of this analysis was to provide an in-depth understanding of intimacy in the lives of older adults in assisted living.
Using grounded theory methods, we analyzed data from the "Convoys of Care" (Kemp, PI: R01AG044368) longitudinal, qualitative research project. Data consisted of 2224 h of participant observation and interviews with 28 assisted living residents (aged 58-96), and their care partners (n = 114) followed over two years from four diverse assisted living communities.
Residents' experience with intimacy was a process involving four dimensions: emotional, intellectual, spiritual, and physical. Intimacy occurred in platonic or romantic forms and was dynamic over time alongside residents' intimacy needs. Residents engaged in an ongoing process requiring that they manage their needs while negotiating intimacy opportunities and constraints.
Our findings expand the current conceptualization of intimacy in later life, specifically in the context of long-term care. Findings indicate the need for an approach to long-term care that addresses individuals' intimacy needs and preferences.
亲密关系是一种社会关系，在晚年生活中仍然至关重要，包括在长期护理机构（如辅助生活机构）中的老年人。然而，以前的研究尚未全面（即广义上定义）和在晚年、健康衰退和长期护理的背景下，概念化个体如何体验亲密关系。本分析的目的是深入了解辅助生活中的老年人的亲密关系。
使用扎根理论方法，我们分析了“护理车队”（Kemp，PI：R01AG044368）纵向、定性研究项目的数据。数据包括 28 名辅助生活居民（年龄 58-96 岁）和他们的护理伙伴（n=114）的 2224 小时的参与观察和访谈，这些居民在来自四个不同辅助生活社区的两年时间内接受了随访。
居民的亲密关系体验是一个涉及四个维度的过程：情感、智力、精神和身体。亲密关系以柏拉图式或浪漫的形式存在，并随着居民的亲密关系需求而随时间动态变化。居民参与了一个持续的过程，需要他们在协商亲密关系机会和限制的同时管理自己的需求。
我们的发现扩展了对晚年亲密关系的当前概念化，特别是在长期护理的背景下。研究结果表明，需要一种针对长期护理的方法来满足个人的亲密关系需求和偏好。
