Relational approach to ethics and quality improvement in institutional care for people with dementia
Abstract
Autonomy has become a key organizing principle in the official and expert discourses of the social services focused on strengthening of clients' independence and self-sufficiency. While "caring" has been seen as a threat to the autonomy of an individual, the care dependency and need for palliative care for people with dementia living in residential institutions are growing.
Participatory action research was realized in 9 homes providing services for people with dementia with the aim to improve the quality of care. Research teams from the homes were involved in assisted self-assessment which included observation, documentation analysis, workshops, interviews and interventions targeting the issues arising from practice.
Ethnographic research was performed by the consultant/researcher to reflect on the experience.