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Ways That Families Engage with Staff in Long-Term Care Facilities*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 March 2010

James W. Gladstone ,
Sherry L. Dupuis  and
Evelyn Wexler
James W. Gladstone*
Affiliation:
School of Social Work, McMaster University
Sherry L. Dupuis
Affiliation:
Murray Alzheimer Research and Education Program, University of Waterloo
Evelyn Wexler
Affiliation:
School of Health Sciences, Humber College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning
*
Requests for offprints should be sent to: / Les demandes de tirés-à-part doivent être adressées à : Professor James W. Gladstone, School of Social Work, KTH-319, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4M4. ([email protected])
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Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore styles of engagement used by families with staff in long-term care facilities. Data were gathered through personal interviews with 35 family members. Five styles of engagement were identified: positive, negative, peremptory, cautious, and limited. Factors associated with these different styles were also identified. Implications for practice are discussed.

Résumé

Le but de cette étude qualitative était d'analyser les styles d'engagement auxquels les familles ont recours avec le personnel des établissements de soins prolongés. Des données ont été recueillies lors d'entrevues personnelles avec 35 membres de familles. Cinq styles d'engagement ont été dégagés: positif, négatif, péremptoire, prudent et limité. Les facteurs associés à ces divers styles ont aussi été déterminés. Les possibilités de leur mise en pratique font l'objet de discussion.

Keywords

agingfamily–stafflong-term careengagementvieillissementfamille-personnelsoins prolongésengagement
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 26 , Issue 4 , Winter/Hiver 2007 , pp. 391 - 402
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 2007

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Footnotes

*

The authors would like to thank the Alzheimer Society of Canada, Grant #00–5, for their generous support for conducting this research.

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