Nursing Homes as a Context of Existential Challenges and Caregiver Competence -vuosikokousluento

Karjalan teologisen seuran vuosikokous 2025 pidetään tiistaina 18.3.2025 klo 16 Itä-Suomen salissa AT102. Kokouksessa on kahvitarjoilu. Tervetuloa!

Tiistaina 18.3.2025 klo 18.15 Vuosikokousluento Nursing Homes as a Context of Existential Challenges and Caregiver Competence, alustamassa apulaisprofessori Suvi-Maria Saarelainen

Itä-Suomen yliopiston salissa AT102 ja Zoomissa. linkki: https://uef.zoom.us/j/62325329256

Karjalan teologisen seuran vuosikokousluennon pitää Itä-Suomen yliopiston hyvinvointiteologian ja työelämätaitojen apulaisprofessori Suvi-Maria Saarelainen aiheesta Nursing Homes as a Context of Existential Challenges and Caregiver Competence. Luento pidetään englanniksi, kysymyksiä voi kuitenkin esittää ja keskusteluun osallistua myös suomeksi.

As care needs increase with age, the sense of meaningfulness in life can be significantly challenged, leading to various existential crises. Nursing homes (NHs) represent a particularly difficult environment for older individuals, where concerns about the finality of life, isolation, and meaninglessness are heightened by daily encounters with loss, illness, and bereavement. This presentation examines how chaplains perceive their ability to support residents facing these crises.

As part of a larger international project, we conducted in-depth interviews with six chaplains working in NHs. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), this study explores how Finnish chaplains navigate their roles and assess their competence in providing meaningful care amid the existential challenges experienced by residents. Through detailed analysis, six main themes emerged that encapsulate the essence of the participants' experiences. (1) Education is fundamental to professional competence. Both initial training and ongoing education are viewed as crucial. (2)Work years provided confidence to daily work. (3)To be a competent carer, participants emphasized the importance of self-reflection, supervision, and self-care practices as essential tools for managing the emotional demands of their work. (4) Still, feelings of inadequacy and challenges were depicted. (5) Support networks, including supervision, colleagues, and multidisciplinary teams, are vital for professional success and well-being. (6)Linked to their personal competence participants often reflected on the deeper meaning of their work.

This study provides insights into the complexities of pastoral caregiving in nursing homes, highlighting the importance of education, experience, self-care, and support networks in sustaining caregivers' competence and well-being.