Ambiguous personhood: Paradoxes of social belonging in Danish nursing home care.
J Aging Stud
; 68: 101214, 2024 Mar.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38458717
ABSTRACT
In oldest old age (generally considered to be from 85 years onwards), personhood is often called into question, impacting well-being as a result. Based on ethnographic fieldwork, this article examines the well-being of oldest old nursing home residents at the intersections of ageism, fraying personhood and fragile social belonging in Danish nursing home care. In Denmark personhood hinges on both independence and social belonging; or "fællesskab." We examine how these concepts are practiced in nursing home care. Taking its starting point in the distinction between the "inside world" of the nursing home and the "real world" outside, the article examines how processes of othering occur in nursing home care, imperilling resident personhood and opportunities for social belonging. We consider how oldest old residents navigate social belonging, finding it in turn life-sustaining and vexatious. We argue that tacit ageism permeates the nursing home, to the detriment of resident well-being, despite the best intentions of an aged care system that is structured to specifically maintain personhood.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Personeidad
/
Casas de Salud
Límite:
Aged
/
Aged80
/
Humans
País/Región como asunto:
Europa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
J Aging Stud
Año:
2024
Tipo del documento:
Article
Pais de publicación:
Reino Unido