The Complexity of Loss in Continuing Care Institutions for Older People: A Review of the Literature

Abstract

This article analyzes the findings of a literature review undertaken on loss in continuing care institutions. It suggests that research undertaken in continuing care institutions, such as care homes, ignores the complexity and multiplicity of loss, depending on the methodological approach taken (e.g., qualitative field methods, survey research and intervention studies). It argues that different methodological approaches fragment and hide some aspect of loss in these settings. For instance, some methods capture the individual emotional component, while others focus solely on the social dynamic. This fragmentation and hiding of aspects of loss makes research findings of limited value to those working in practice. The article concludes that future studies need to be aware of these tendencies, in order to uncover new meanings of loss more appropriate to the continuing care setting.