An Ethnographic Study of Stigma and Ageism in Residential Care or Assisted Living

Autor/inn/en	Dobbs, Debra; Eckert, J. Kevin; Rubinstein, Bob; Keimig, Lynn; Clark, Leanne; Frankowski, Ann Christine; Zimmerman, Sheryl
Titel	An Ethnographic Study of Stigma and Ageism in Residential Care or Assisted Living
Quelle	In: Gerontologist, 48 (2008) 4, S.517-526 (10 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0016-9013
Schlagwörter	Grounded Theory; Residential Care; Dementia; Ethnography; Aging (Individuals); Older Adults; Gerontology; Negative Attitudes; Social Bias; Family (Sociological Unit); Allied Health Personnel; Sociocultural Patterns; Diseases; Change Strategies; Institutional Environment; Social Environment; Maryland + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Demenz; Ethnografie; Aging; Altern; Älterer Erwachsener; Gerontologie; Negative Fixierung; Familie; Soziokulturelle Theorie; Disease; Krankheit; Lösungsstrategie; Soziales Umfeld
Abstract	Purpose: This study explored aspects of stigmatization for older adults who live in residential care or assisted living (RC-AL) communities and what these settings have done to address stigma. Design and Methods: We used ethnography and other qualitative data-gathering and analytic techniques to gather data from 309 participants (residents, family and staff) from six RC-AL settings in Maryland. We entered the transcript data into Atlas.ti 5.0. We analyzed the data by using grounded theory techniques for emergent themes. Results: Four themes emerged that relate to stigma in RC-AL: (a) ageism in long-term care; (b) stigma as related to disease and illness; (c) sociocultural aspects of stigma; and (d) RC-AL as a stigmatizing setting. Some strategies used in RC-AL settings to combat stigma include family member advocacy on behalf of stigmatized residents, assertion of resident autonomy, and administrator awareness of potential stigmatization. Implications: Findings suggest that changes could be made to the structure as well as the process of care delivery to minimize the occurrence of stigma in RC-AL settings. Structural changes include an examination of how best, given the resident case mix, to accommodate care for persons with dementia (e.g., separate units or integrated care); processes of care include staff recognition of resident preferences and strengths, rather than their limitations. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Gerontological Society of America. 1030 15th Street NW Suite 250, Washington, DC 20005. Tel: 202-842-1275; Fax: 202-842-1150; e-mail: geron@geron.org; Web site: http://www.geron.org/journals/gsapub.htm
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10