Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Enabling positive framings of stigmatised settings : a neglected responsibility for social work

Harnett, Tove LU and Jönson, Håkan LU (2022) In European Journal of Social Work 25(2). p.238-249
Abstract

Settings in social work may be associated with spatial stigma. This study uses the case of a highly stigmatised setting to investigate ways of ascribing positive characteristics to tainted contexts. Guided by symbolic interactionism, the aim is to analyse how residents in ‘wet’ eldercare facilities manage to view these in a positive light. Wet eldercare facilities are designed for older people with long-term substance use problems, where abstinence is abandoned for well-being. Forty-two residents of four such facilities were interviewed, revealing how the hybrid status of these places enabled residents to frame their situation as being ‘in the right place’, but for different reasons. Some framed the place as a care home, others as an... (More)

Settings in social work may be associated with spatial stigma. This study uses the case of a highly stigmatised setting to investigate ways of ascribing positive characteristics to tainted contexts. Guided by symbolic interactionism, the aim is to analyse how residents in ‘wet’ eldercare facilities manage to view these in a positive light. Wet eldercare facilities are designed for older people with long-term substance use problems, where abstinence is abandoned for well-being. Forty-two residents of four such facilities were interviewed, revealing how the hybrid status of these places enabled residents to frame their situation as being ‘in the right place’, but for different reasons. Some framed the place as a care home, others as an ordinary flat. Both frames were made credible by the formal hybrid organisation: Swedish wet eldercare facilities are part of the eldercare system, and residents’ rooms are formally regarded as flats. The study suggests that it is social work’s (often neglected) responsibility to counter spatial stigma and improve residents’ sense of dignity. Based on promising practices in the Swedish system, the study presents three strategies that enable residents in nominally tainted settings to ascribe positive characteristics to the place where they live.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
eldercare, Harm reduction, older people
in
European Journal of Social Work
volume
25
issue
2
pages
238 - 249
publisher
Routledge
external identifiers
  • scopus:85108656175
ISSN
1369-1457
DOI
10.1080/13691457.2021.1918065
project
Specialist eldercare for people with substance abuse and complex needs: Promising practices or institutionalized ageism?
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
id
094272db-b0d9-4a23-b70f-40515c518ed1
date added to LUP
2021-08-16 08:48:07
date last changed
2023-03-17 08:45:58
@article{094272db-b0d9-4a23-b70f-40515c518ed1,
  abstract     = {{<p>Settings in social work may be associated with spatial stigma. This study uses the case of a highly stigmatised setting to investigate ways of ascribing positive characteristics to tainted contexts. Guided by symbolic interactionism, the aim is to analyse how residents in ‘wet’ eldercare facilities manage to view these in a positive light. Wet eldercare facilities are designed for older people with long-term substance use problems, where abstinence is abandoned for well-being. Forty-two residents of four such facilities were interviewed, revealing how the hybrid status of these places enabled residents to frame their situation as being ‘in the right place’, but for different reasons. Some framed the place as a care home, others as an ordinary flat. Both frames were made credible by the formal hybrid organisation: Swedish wet eldercare facilities are part of the eldercare system, and residents’ rooms are formally regarded as flats. The study suggests that it is social work’s (often neglected) responsibility to counter spatial stigma and improve residents’ sense of dignity. Based on promising practices in the Swedish system, the study presents three strategies that enable residents in nominally tainted settings to ascribe positive characteristics to the place where they live.</p>}},
  author       = {{Harnett, Tove and Jönson, Håkan}},
  issn         = {{1369-1457}},
  keywords     = {{eldercare; Harm reduction; older people}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{238--249}},
  publisher    = {{Routledge}},
  series       = {{European Journal of Social Work}},
  title        = {{Enabling positive framings of stigmatised settings : a neglected responsibility for social work}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13691457.2021.1918065}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/13691457.2021.1918065}},
  volume       = {{25}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}