Experience of at-homeness and homesickness in patients with Alzheimer's disease

Abstract

In order to gain deeper understanding of the patient's everyday life participant and non-participant observations were performed at a group-dwelling for Alzheimer patients, during one year and eight months. The patients' talking and acting in various situations were noted, and the contexts were described. The phenomena, “longing for home,” “on their way home “ and “being at home “ were identified and regarded as expressions of the experience of homesickness and at homeness in the patients.