Factors Related to Meaning in Life Among Residents of Long-Term Care Institutions

Background Meaning in life plays an important role in, and is associated with all dimensions of, well-being. Finding meaning in life has been shown to increase life satisfaction in residents of long-term care (LTC) institutions, whereas social support has been found to relate positively with meaning of life. Interactions with LTC staff are the main source of social support for LTC residents. Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore the factors related to meaning in life in LTC residents, especially those associated with interactions between nursing assistants and residents. Methods A cross-sectional study design was applied to interview participants from October 2015 through July 2016. One hundred fifty-four residents from six LTC institutions participated in this study. The Staff-Patient Interaction Scale and Meaning-in-Life Scale were used to collect data. The statistical methods of t test, Pearson's correlation, and stepwise regression of forward selection analysis were used to explore the factors related to meaning in life in the study population. Results The participants were found to perceive a moderate level of meaning in their lives, with a Meaning-in-Life Scale average total score of 42.75 (range: 17-63, SD = 10.19). Staff-patient interaction (beta = .50), financial support from government subsidies and social assistance (beta = -.41), and number of medical diagnoses (beta = -.18) were the three most important factors related to meaning in life, explaining 44.2% of the variance. Conclusions/Implications for Practice Improving the quality of interactions between nurse assistants and residents and health promotion may increase meaning in life in LTC residents.