Meaning of home among community-dwelling older adults with health concerns: a reflexive thematic analysis

Abstract

Abstract Purpose Home is more than a place of care delivery, yet little is known about how community-dwelling older adults with health concerns in Japan understand its meaning. This study explored the shared meanings of home among them and derived implications for home care. Methods This qualitative study involved reflexive thematic analysis within a non-positivist framework. Fifty-four adults aged 65–95 years living in urban, suburban, and rural areas were purposively recruited through home-visit nursing services and an online survey panel. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in Japanese. Interview data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed iteratively in Japanese. Findings Four themes were generated: “autonomy and independence,” “residential environment that sustains daily life,” “familiar place with attachment,” and “personally meaningful connections with others.” Home was understood as more than a physical residence: a familiar, cherished, and personally meaningful foundation for sustaining a self-determined and independent life, personal identity, and relationships with others, extending beyond the dwelling to the surrounding community. Conclusions The findings suggest that home care professionals should understand what home means as a lived place to each older adult, support independence and safety while respecting autonomy, familiarity, and preferences, and facilitate meaningful connections at their preferred relational distance.