ATT MOTVERKA OFRIVILLIG ENSAMHET GENOM SOCIAL GEMENSKAP : En kvalitativ studie om personalens uppfattningar av arbetet vid mötesplatser för äldre

Sammanfattning

Background: Involuntary loneliness among older adults is a public health challenge that can negatively affect both mental and physical health. Meeting places for older adults constitute an important arena for promoting social connectedness and preventing social isolation. However, knowledge about how staff perceive this work remains limited. Aim: The aim of this study is to explore how staff at meeting places for older adults perceive the work regarding involuntary loneliness and social connectedness. Method: The study was conducted using a qualitative approach and semi-structured individual interviews with eight informants working at municipal meeting places for older adults in two municipalities. A purposive sampling strategy was used, and the data were analysed using manifest content analysis. Result: The study findings consist of two main categories. The first category, creating social interaction and participation, shows that meeting places for older adults can promote social connectedness through inclusive practices and opportunities for participation, while uncertainty in social situations may constitute a barrier to engagement. The second category, access to different resources, highlights the importance of staff support and relationship-building efforts, as well as challenges such as mental and physical health problems and difficulties in reaching the most socially isolated older adults. Conclusion: Meeting places for older adults appeared to play an important role in promoting social connectedness and reducing involuntary loneliness. Staff support and relationship-building efforts were identified as central, while poor mental and physical health could hinder participation. Based on Antonovsky’s Sense of Coherence (SOC) theory, meeting places can be understood as contributing to increased comprehensibility, manageability, and meaningfulness through structure, support, and social participation. Keywords: Involuntary loneliness, meeting places for older adults, public health science, qualitative approach, social connectedness