The human degree of care: Professional loving care for people with a mild intellectual disability: An explorative study
Publication year
2014Number of pages
12 p.
Source
Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 58, 3, (2014), pp. 221-232ISSN
Publication type
Article / Letter to editor

Display more detailsDisplay less details
Organization
SW OZ BSI OLO
SW OW PWO [owi]
Journal title
Journal of Intellectual Disability Research
Volume
vol. 58
Issue
iss. 3
Languages used
English (eng)
Page start
p. 221
Page end
p. 232
Subject
Learning and PlasticityAbstract
Background: Research has shown that care staff are not always able to offer quality care. Commercialisation and market forces within the care sector are often pointed to as an explanation for this shortcoming. In the present study, insight is gained into the possible connections between the commercialisation of care, on the one hand, and the shrinkage of possibilities and motivation to offer professional loving care, on the other hand, from the perspective of care staff working with people with mild intellectual disabilities. Method: Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 28 care staff working with people with mild intellectual disabilities. Scientific research methods were combined with normative ethical reflection to examine the internal morals of the care staff. Results: According to participating care staff, an affiliation with and recognition of the client form the basis for professional loving care. Care staff recognise that their profession is increasingly being built upon manageability and accountability, and this is making their jobs more difficult. Conclusion: We conclude that care staff perceive the precedence given to the smooth running of production processes over investment in direct contact with clients to be a real threat to the quality of care. Concerns about declining motivation and loss of work satisfaction as a result of the commercialisation of care are only partly acknowledged by care staff. While shrinkage of space for professional loving care is recognised, one can hardly speak of declining motivation.
This item appears in the following Collection(s)
- Academic publications [227900]
- Faculty of Social Sciences [28471]
Upload full text
Use your RU credentials (u/z-number and password) to log in with SURFconext to upload a file for processing by the repository team.