{
    "abstract": "The ability to care for a frail older partner late in life often entails the need for support and help from others, a need that sometimes can go unmet. Exploring spouses' views of emotional and existential support can guide further development of supportive structures, which in turn can promote family caregivers' existential health and well-being. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore what spouses experience as supportive of their emotional and existential concerns when caring, or after having cared for, a frail partner late in life.\nThe study was explorative and based on multistage focus group interviews with older spouses (n\u2009=\u200910) divided in two groups who met three times each. The data were analysed using conventional content analysis. The checklist 'Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research' (COREQ) was followed when presenting the study.\nThe spouses described the importance of an atmosphere in which being sad was allowed for as much time as needed; it was safe to share experiences together with others, they could receive compassion and comfort from others, and they were free to feel hope, let their previous life go and dare to think of their future.\nProviding emotional and existential support creates an atmosphere that allows older spouses to reflect together with others, listening to their own and others' thoughts, and thus be able to put feelings and experiences into words. A suggestion for organising such support considers the physical, social, personal and spiritual dimensions of people's lifeworlds.\nNursing interventions aimed at improving emotional and existential support for older spouses should primarily target transitional phases in life and focus on relational aspects.",
    "authors": [
        {
            "affiliation": "Faculty of Health Sciences, Kristianstad University, Kristianstad, Sweden.\nThe Research Platform for Collaboration for Health, Kristianstad University, Kristianstad, Sweden.",
            "firstname": "Helena",
            "initials": "H",
            "lastname": "Larsson"
        },
        {
            "affiliation": "Faculty of Health Sciences, Kristianstad University, Kristianstad, Sweden.\nThe Research Platform for Collaboration for Health, Kristianstad University, Kristianstad, Sweden.",
            "firstname": "Anna-Karin",
            "initials": "AK",
            "lastname": "Edberg"
        },
        {
            "affiliation": "Faculty of Health Sciences, Kristianstad University, Kristianstad, Sweden.\nThe Research Platform for Collaboration for Health, Kristianstad University, Kristianstad, Sweden.",
            "firstname": "Kerstin",
            "initials": "K",
            "lastname": "Blomqvist"
        }
    ],
    "conclusions": "Providing emotional and existential support creates an atmosphere that allows older spouses to reflect together with others, listening to their own and others' thoughts, and thus be able to put feelings and experiences into words. A suggestion for organising such support considers the physical, social, personal and spiritual dimensions of people's lifeworlds.",
    "copyrights": "\u00a9 2025 The Author(s). International Journal of Older People Nursing published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.",
    "doi": "10.1111/opn.70028\n10.1186/s12904-021-00829-9",
    "journal": "International journal of older people nursing",
    "keywords": [
        "content analysis",
        "emotional concerns",
        "existential concerns",
        "focus group",
        "partner late in life",
        "spouse",
        "support"
    ],
    "methods": null,
    "publication_date": "2025-04-24",
    "pubmed_id": "40269438\n29194850\n36052180\n25635502\n15554821\n11136405\n31414663\n25041115\n34591745\n27918681\n31481376\n27823738\n16204405\n9004016\n32116141\n22371820\n21929829\n34454454\n30866827\n26750862\n30307685\n28714734\n30403002\n15147473\n11762974\n17872937\n32559712\n25982088",
    "results": "The spouses described the importance of an atmosphere in which being sad was allowed for as much time as needed; it was safe to share experiences together with others, they could receive compassion and comfort from others, and they were free to feel hope, let their previous life go and dare to think of their future.",
    "title": "Spouses' Experiences of Emotional and Existential Support When Caring for a Frail Partner Late in Life.",
    "xml": "<Element 'PubmedArticle' at 0x788506f27c90>"
}