Abstract
Organisational abuse, which is the inability to provide a good level of care to an individual or group of people in a care setting because of practices in an organisation, is growingly documented. This paper identifies sources of organisational abuse faced by older adults living in long-term care homes (LTCH). This study uses a phenomenological approach to conduct individual interviews with occupational therapists (n=23) working in LTCH. Individual semi-structured interviews have been transcribed and analyzed by co-analysts to identify issues related to organisational abuse. Two main themes and six sub-themes have been identified: (1) lack of resources which causes a (a) difficulty to address the needs of older adults and (2) inadequate environments which brings (b) a lack of respect for autonomy and human dignity, (c) an insufficient response to basic needs, (d) an over-emphasis on safety, (e) occupational deprivation, which is prolonged restriction from participation in meaningful activities. These issues can be examined in a broader ecological perspective, where the macrosystemic context strongly influences the choices of LTCH managers and how care and services are organized. Addressing macroscopic issues is a promising avenue of action to reduce organizational abuse in LTCHs.
Presenters
Marie-Michèle LordProfesseur, Ergothérapie, Universite du Québec à Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
Public Policy and Public Perspectives on Aging
KEYWORDS
Organisational abuse, Ecological perspective, Ethical issue, Long-Term Care homes
