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That's not my Robert! Identity maintainance and other warrants in family members' claims about mistreatment in old-age care

Harnett, Tove LU and Jönson, Håkan LU (2010) In Ageing & Society 30(4). p.627-647
Abstract
This study has explored how family members of care recipients define and sustain claims of mistreatment in old-age care. Twenty-one informants were recruited from an association of relatives of care recipients in Sweden. Using argumentation analysis, four warrants about mistreatment Were identified from the qualitative interview data: they referred to physical harm, psychological harm, social-care deficiencies and identity subversion. The first three categories are similar to those recognised in previous research on elder mistreatment, but the fourth, which is described in detail in the article, is less familiar: elder mistreatment as the violation of an older person's identity. The family members backed their claims about staff members'... (More)
This study has explored how family members of care recipients define and sustain claims of mistreatment in old-age care. Twenty-one informants were recruited from an association of relatives of care recipients in Sweden. Using argumentation analysis, four warrants about mistreatment Were identified from the qualitative interview data: they referred to physical harm, psychological harm, social-care deficiencies and identity subversion. The first three categories are similar to those recognised in previous research on elder mistreatment, but the fourth, which is described in detail in the article, is less familiar: elder mistreatment as the violation of an older person's identity. The family members backed their claims about staff members' violation of a care recipient's persona or identity by using arguments that drew on their unique knowledge of the care recipient's appearance, daily routines and preferred activities. they also described their attempts to protect the dignity and identity of a care recipient, their fears of abuse, and actual cases of conflict and retribution by care staff. They consistently positioned themselves as guardians of identity through their claims of mistreatment. The study provides important knowledge about family members' moral view of elder mistreatment, which may enhance the understanding of conflicts between formal care providers and family members. (Less)
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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
relatives, warrants, person-centred care, mistreatment, family members, elder care, elder abuse, claims-making
in
Ageing & Society
volume
30
issue
4
pages
627 - 647
publisher
Cambridge University Press
external identifiers
  • wos:000277653200005
  • scopus:77952420533
ISSN
0144-686X
DOI
10.1017/S0144686X09990584
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
e9d87e41-5146-451c-8d23-704b2569348a (old id 1580739)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:02:25
date last changed
2023-03-17 10:03:09
@article{e9d87e41-5146-451c-8d23-704b2569348a,
  abstract     = {{This study has explored how family members of care recipients define and sustain claims of mistreatment in old-age care. Twenty-one informants were recruited from an association of relatives of care recipients in Sweden. Using argumentation analysis, four warrants about mistreatment Were identified from the qualitative interview data: they referred to physical harm, psychological harm, social-care deficiencies and identity subversion. The first three categories are similar to those recognised in previous research on elder mistreatment, but the fourth, which is described in detail in the article, is less familiar: elder mistreatment as the violation of an older person's identity. The family members backed their claims about staff members' violation of a care recipient's persona or identity by using arguments that drew on their unique knowledge of the care recipient's appearance, daily routines and preferred activities. they also described their attempts to protect the dignity and identity of a care recipient, their fears of abuse, and actual cases of conflict and retribution by care staff. They consistently positioned themselves as guardians of identity through their claims of mistreatment. The study provides important knowledge about family members' moral view of elder mistreatment, which may enhance the understanding of conflicts between formal care providers and family members.}},
  author       = {{Harnett, Tove and Jönson, Håkan}},
  issn         = {{0144-686X}},
  keywords     = {{relatives; warrants; person-centred care; mistreatment; family members; elder care; elder abuse; claims-making}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{627--647}},
  publisher    = {{Cambridge University Press}},
  series       = {{Ageing & Society}},
  title        = {{That's not my Robert! Identity maintainance and other warrants in family members' claims about mistreatment in old-age care}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0144686X09990584}},
  doi          = {{10.1017/S0144686X09990584}},
  volume       = {{30}},
  year         = {{2010}},
}