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Malin Åkerström

Malin Åkerström

Professor emerita

Malin Åkerström

Slaps, Punches, Pinches -- But not Violence: Boundary Work in Nursing Homes for the Elderly

Author

  • Malin Åkerström

Summary, in English

The article presents an analysis of boundary work within the context of care for the elderly, where violence appears to be widespread though still relatively unacknowledged. By resorting to certain descriptive – often jocular – modes, the staff designate aggressive acts committed by patients as 'non-violent'. This occurs although intent, responsibility, and injury – all common criteria associated with violence – are partly present in the descriptions. It is suggested that this combination of tendencies is an artful way of simultaneously presenting the nurses as competent caregivers rather than controllers -- in spite of reported difficulties.

Department/s

  • Sociology

Publishing year

2002

Language

English

Pages

515-536

Publication/Series

Symbolic Interaction

Volume

25

Issue

4

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

University of California Press

Topic

  • Sociology (excluding Social Work, Social Psychology and Social Anthropology)

Keywords

  • care
  • homes for elderly
  • nurses
  • constructionism
  • violence
  • elderly
  • sociologi
  • aggression
  • sociology
  • decriptive work
  • boundary work

Status

Published

Research group

  • Kriminal- och socialvetenskapligt nätverk

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 0195-6086