An increasing number of older people with severe mental illness (SMI) poses additional challenges to healthcare and social services. This scoping review aimed to investigate the life situation of older people living with severe mental illness and identify the research gaps in the existing literature. The current review followed the methodological framework for conducting scoping reviews by Arksey and O'Malley, consisting of five main stages: (1) identifying the research question (2) identifying relevant studies, (3) selecting the studies, (4) charting the data, and (5) collating, summarising, and reporting the results. An optional sixth stage, a consultation exercise, has also been used in this study: The scoping review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews PRISMA-ScR, and the databases PsychINFO Scopus, Cinahl, Web of Science and PubMed were used. A total of 24 studies were included in the review. The thematic analysis focused on: (1) the perspective of older people with SMI, (2) the perspective of healthcare professionals supporting older people with SMI, and (3) the perspective of informal carers supporting older people with SMI. The results describe the life situation of older people living with SMI, especially in relation to the older peoples' experiences of suffering and well-being. The staff and the informal carers need adequate knowledge to provide support to the older people with SMI. To gain greater knowledge about the life situation and support needed by older people with SMI, we strongly advocate additional research focusing on their own experiences.

Background and Aim: The aim of the present article is to describe meaning-oriented thematic analysis grounded in reflective lifeworld research and to illustrate how the thematic analysis can be integrated in the research process. The article is a methodological paper, including ontological and epistemological assumptions for lifeworld theory. Research based on lifeworld theory is directed towards lived experiences and meanings in everyday life. Research that is founded on the epistemology of the lifeworld can present existential issues important for caring and qualitative research can in particular contribute to existential knowledge needed to understand the world of the patient. Design: Theoretical paper. Results: Starting with a phenomenon of relevance for caring science, the article argues for lifeworld interviews as a data collection method that can contribute to depth and meaning, and then presents a description of how structures of meaning can be outlined through a meaning-oriented thematic analysis. The research of lived experiences in caring science demands an approach that includes a reflective attitude during the methodological considerations. This article highlights the importance of ontological and epistemological considerations when conducting a meaning-oriented thematic analysis. Conclusion: The article places meaning-oriented thematic analysis in a wider research process, considering all aspects from collection of data to the creation of meaning-oriented themes.

Aims: To describe self-reported mental health, bonding with the infant, family wellbeing, and family functioning among mothers and non-birthing parents with children receiving neonatal intensive care and to explore factors associated with bonding with the child, family wellbeing, and family functioning. Methods: This cross-sectional study included families from three different units in Sweden. Parents received a questionnaire that included self-reported measures of the study variables. Results: In total, 75 mothers and 72 non-birthing parents were included. Nearly 40% of the parents reported anxiety symptoms, whereas depression and post-traumatic stress symptoms were uncommon. Mothers reported more mental health issues than non-birthing parents. In the regression analyses depression was associated with problems with bonding and family wellbeing, no other significant associations were identified. Conclusion: Symptoms of anxiety were common but might be a natural and transient reaction. Identifying depression is important to be able to provide targeted family support.

Background

The health-promoting intervention BeWell™, which includes photo-supported conversations, is intended for people with stress-related illnesses. Its focus is on improving the individual’s health and well-being by addressing what contributes to well-being from the patient’s own perspective. There is no current knowledge of the experiences of occupational therapists of using BeWell™ in primary health care. It is thus important to gain knowledge of their experiences of using this intervention as part of investigating its feasibility.

Aim

To describe the occupational therapists’ experiences of photo-supported conversations about well-being (BeWell™) with patients diagnosed with stress-related illnesses.

Material and methods

Six occupational therapists, working in primary health care, who had conducted the photo-supported conversations about well-being (BeWell™), were interviewed individually, and one focus group discussion was also conducted. Systematic text condensation was used as the analysis method.

Results

Three main themes with two to three subgroups in each were identified; Discovering well-being through images, Enhancing patient’s own efforts towards well-being, and Contributing to one’s own well-being.

Conclusions and significance

The results provide important knowledge for the continued research work with BeWell™ by investigating how the users of the intervention experienced it.

Over the years, several studies have paid attention to the perspectives and experiences of family members of Persons labelled Not Criminally Responsible (PNCR). In these studies, many experiences highlight the fact that family members feel victimized by forensic mental health care professionals (FMHP). However, research studies on the perspectives of FMHP are sparse and primarily focus on their desire to work with family members and the barriers they face in doing so. This presentation will focus on illuminating FMHPs' experiences and perceptions of family interventions and family treatment in the context of societal and policy changes between 2015 and 2021.

Introduction: Studies suggest that experiences of patient participation, as described by both patients and staff, are associated with a significant caring relationship of high quality.

Aim: This study aimed to investigate staffs' and patients' self-reported perceptions on participation and the frequency and importance of verbal and social interactions in high security forensic psychiatry.

Method: The questionnaire Verbal and Social Interactions (VSI) was used together with the subscale Participation from Qualityin Psychiatric Care (QPC). The study was conducted at a large forensic psychiatric clinic in Sweden.

Results: Staff and patients rated the frequency of VSI differently while reporting the same perceived degree of patient participation. All categories of VSI were significantly correlated with perceived level of participation with medium or small effect size for the patients.

Discussion: Patients' perceived participation seems to depend on verbal and social interaction within the specific categories ‘Showing interest in the patients’ feelings, experiences, and behavior’ and ‘Helping the patients establish structure and routines in their everyday life’. There was, however, a negative association for the latter.

Implications for Practice: The results give a better understanding of what kind of interactions that affect patients' perceived level of participation.

Relevance Statement: Patient participant is a prioritised area for development in forensic psychiatry. The study contributes to a better understanding of what types of interactions that affect the perceived level of participation, while at the same time, it shows important similarities and differences between patient and staff perspectives

Introduction and Aim: There is limited scientific knowledge about older people with severe mental illness and the support they receive in municipal housing and home care. Greater knowledge of their life situation can contribute to the development of support and care interventions for the target group. The aim was to describe how older people with severe mental illness experience their life situation and the support they receive in their daily lives in ordinary housing or care homes.

Method and Results: The project is a part of an EU project “Innovatedignity” focusing on sustainable and dignified care for older people. Thirteen lifeworld interviews were conducted with older people (11 women and 2 men), between 65 to 81 years of age, with severe mental illness who receive support and care from municipal care staff in their own home or in special housing in the municipality. The interviews were conducted in the older people’s homes, lasting between 40 to 60 minutes. The interviews were characterized by openness and flexibility towards the phenomenon of the study “the life situation and support in everyday life and in the home”. The opening questions were: “Can you tell me about a usual day in your life?” and “How do you experience the support you receive from municipal care staff in your everyday life and in your home?” The data was analyzed with a phenomenological meaning analysis based on a Reflective Lifeworld Research (RLR) approach.All of the older people with severe mental illness had experiences of being treated or cared for in mental hospitals or psychiatric care homes earlier in their lives. Preliminary findings indicate that their everyday life was characterized by routines, such as eating, receiving help with cleaning and personal hygiene, and going for walks, watching television, or smoking. The older people in special housing talk of there being some members of staff who they feel they can trust and who they feel understand them, but they have little contact or connection with the other residents. Their contact with other residents was minimal because they do not have a sense of companionship with them or have the same interests. The older people in ordinary housing receive less support from municipal care staff, and most of this support was for cleaning and purchasing food and other supplies.

Conclusion: To conclude, the result is characterized by a sense of loneliness and a lack of belonging, even though the majority lived in housing together with others. There is a challenge for the municipalities to create accommodation for elderly people with severe mental illness that can feel like a home and not an institution with locked doors and long corridors.

It  is  seldom  that  it  is  only  the  patient  who  is  affected  when  someone  is  admitted  to  compulsory  psychiatric  inpatient  care,  the  next  of  kin  is  usually  also  impacted.  The  aim  was  to  describe  the  lived  experiences  of  being  a  next  of  kin  to  a  woman  in  need  of  compulsory  psychiatric  inpatient  care.  Ten  next  of  kin  were  interviewed  and  the  material  was  analyzed  with  a  Reflective  Lifeworld  Research  approach.  The  results  show  loneliness  and  feelings  that  their  existence  has  collapsed.  An  emotional  duality  is  described  in  the  realization  that  the  care  is  needed  but  they  are  devastated  that  the  woman  is  there.  A  trust  exists,  but  it  changes  when  the  next  of  kin  are  no  longer  a  part  of  the  care  process.

The study presented in this article is part of the project‘Finding Viability in Daily Life’. In the project, participantproducedphotographs of situations of well-being were usedin interviews. A knowledge gap was identified: mediaspecificaspects of photographic material used in relatedresearch were not considered. In this study, photographstaken by twelve women aged 27–54 with a stress-relatedillness were examined. The research questions was: Howare situations of well-being visually represented inphotographs produced by the participants in the project,and how are these situations described in words by theparticipants? The results show that a typical photographhad a balanced composition, depicted a closed space withisolated object/s situated close to the beholder, and wastaken from above. Indoor settings were more dominantthan outdoor ones. The outdoor settings showed an openspace and horizontal depictions more often than the indoorones. A typical photograph depicted an activity or objectsrelated to activities. By portraying calm and manageablespaces, the photographs visually suggested that qualitieslike balance and control are important aspects ofexperiencing well-being. These qualities of spaces forexperiencing well-being were confirmed in interviews withthe participants and by previous studies in the project.