title: Spiritual care to persons with dementia in nursing homes; a qualitative study of nurses and care workers experiences.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Spiritual care for people with dementia who are in nursing homes is one aspect of the holistic care provided by nurses. A number of studies have explored the concepts of spirituality and religiosity, but fewer studies describe how nurses provide spiritual care in practice. The Purpose of the study was thus to investigate how nurses and care workers can provide spiritual care for people with dementia who live in nursing homes.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a qualitative study with an exploratory design using a phenomenological-hermeneutic approach. Interviews were conducted in eight focus groups with 31 nurses and care workers in 4 Norwegian nursing homes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The nurses were unsure about whether they actually provided spiritual care. Through discussions in the focus groups, a new understanding and insight was developed. The spiritual care that the nurses provided included: (1) integrating spiritual care into general care, described as 'physical touch' and 'responsiveness and intuition'; (2) spiritual care in terms of togetherness, described as 'being present' and 'sensitivity in communication'; and (3) spiritual care as providing meaningful activities for everyday life, described as 'facilitating activities' and 'meeting the residents' religious needs'.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates the need for nurses and care workers to discuss and reflect on how to understand and describe spiritual care for people with dementia in practice. There is a need to develop and expand the knowledge about how to teach carers to recognize resident's spiritual needs and expressions of spirituality and to establish a comprehensive view of spiritual care for people with dementia in nursing homes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Faculty of Public Health, Hedmark University College, PO Box 400, N-2418 Elverum, Norway.|Institute of Health and Society, Department of Nursing Science, University of Oslo, PO Box 1130, Blindern, 0318 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Liv Skomakerstuen
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Ødbehr
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Faculty of Public Health, Hedmark University College, PO Box 400, N-2418 Elverum, Norway.|Nesna, University College, Institute of Nurse Education, 8700 Nesna, Norway.
authors.forename: Kari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kvigne
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Social Studies, Telemark University College, 3901 Porsgrunn, Norway.|Centre of Caring Research - Southern Norway, Institute of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Social Studies, Telemark University College, 3901 Porsgrunn, Norway.
authors.forename: Solveig
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hauge
authors.affiliation: Centre for Psychology and Religion, Innlandet Hospital Trust, PO Box 68, 2312 Ottestad, Norway.|Oslo School of Theology, PO Box 1153, Blindern, 0318 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Lars Johan
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Danbolt
keywords: Dementia; Focus groups; Nursing homes; Nursing practice; Spiritual care