Doing Care with Integrity and Emotional Sensibility—Reciprocal Encounters in Psychiatric Community Care of Older People with Mental Health Problems

Abstract

The article focuses on the experiences of community care workers in the encounter with older persons suffering from mental health problems, such as mental illness and disability. The purpose is to describe and discuss opportunities for and challenges to reciprocal encounters with these older people in community care, based on statements from professionals interviewed. Structured conversations with five focus groups were organised, consisting of 26 participants, including nurses' assistants, assistant nurses, nurses, social workers and occupational therapists. The participants in the focus groups highlight the essence of being involved and create space for a reflective attitude. Clinical implications will be presented as well.

Squalor, chaos and feelings of disgust: care workers talk about older people with alcohol problems

“…The value of training should not be underestimated, since training can help care workers to acquire a language and opportunities to discuss different approaches. Earlier research about specific education and skills enhancement programmes focusing on older people with mental health problems in Stockholm County, Sweden, emphasises the need to reflect during and after every encounter (Karlsson, Mattsson and Rydwik 2015; Karlsson and Rydwik 2013). The participants in the skills enhancement programmes expressed that it should not just be assumed that mental health problems explain all intentions of the client, and stressed the importance of interacting and creating mutual relationships (Karlsson, Mattsson and Rydwik 2015).…”

Social and relational identification as determinants of care workers’ motivation and well-being

“…According to Sluss and Ashforth (2008) , congruence between relational and collective identities is likely to be strengthened by (1) the degree of task interdependence (a particularly high level of which is evident between frontline care workers and clients; Karlsson and Rydwik, 2013 ); and (2) the degree to which the relational partner is prototypical of the organization or the working context. In line with this reasoning, it seems likely that whether care workers indicate strong relational identification with their clients and whether their client and organizational identities converge will depend on the extent to which the care worker perceives their caring role with the client to be supported by the organization.…”