Nursing Homes as a Context of Pastoral Care: Chaplains Encountering Older Adults Who Experience Existential Loneliness and Meaninglessness

Abstract Earlier studies indicate that moving into a nursing home raises a variety of existential concerns for older adults. Yet less is known about how nursing home chaplains experience caring for these individuals. Based on an interpretative phenomenological analysis, the article examines how chaplains perceive their role in caring for older people in nursing homes who are experiencing meaninglessness and/or existential loneliness. Particularly, we analyze: How do chaplains encounter older people experiencing these existential concerns? And what do these encounters require of the chaplains themselves? The results show that the encounter requires intensive listening skills and a strong ability to facilitate person-centered interaction. We also found existential care to include tangible practices in the form of practical support and religious care. Emotional endurance is required to cope with older people’s various feelings and expressions.