Challenges for institutional elder care in Slovenian nursing homes

Aims and objectives. To investigate deficiencies in the institutional elder care that is being offered to residents of nursing homes in Slovenia. Background. Public criticism of the provision of elder care in nursing homes is growing all over the world, including in Slovenia. Many studies on this issue have been conducted, but seldom have assessed different viewpoints simultaneously. Design. A qualitative research design that involved individual unstructured interviews was used in 2007. The participants (n = 48) comprised 16 residents, 16 relatives and 16 members of the nursing staff from four nursing homes in Slovenia. Methods. The data generated were subjected to qualitative content analysis. Results. The major themes that emerged from this analysis were neglect, unprofessional communication, uncomfortable physical environment and inadequate administration. Conclusions. The participants of the study identified issues in institutional elder care in Slovenia that have also been highlighted by international research. Due to staff shortages, low motivation, insufficient communication skills and inexperience, members of the nursing staff reported that they were not in a position to offer the best possible quality of care. Relevance to clinical practice. To improve the living environment in nursing homes, it is important to consider the opinions of all those who are involved closely in institutional elder care. Correction of deficiencies should be a priority and should result in more engagement with residents.