ON SOURCES OF POWERLESSNESS IN NURSING-HOME LIFE

As feelings of identity and integrity are important for old people's e fforts to maintain a healthy life, experiences of powerlessness ought to be prevented. This paper describes sources of powerlessness in nurs ing home life. Participant observations regarding lucid, elderly patie nts were undertaken in two Swedish nursing home wards. The observation s focused on interactions on the wards, observed patient reactions and structural/functional conditions of life on the wards. The constant, comparative analysis searched for events or conditions which seemed to result in reactions signifying positive or negative experiences. Tend er, loving care, strong cohesion and affection between patients and pe rsonnel were typical of the observations, yet patients complained of i mprisonment, powerlessness and hopelessness. Observations are reported as related to legitimate, reward, expert, informational and reference power, self-confidence/respect and socialization. Also existential so urces of powerlessness were identified. It is concluded that many fact ors co-operate to create feelings of powerlessness in the patients. Em powerment measures are suggested on organizational, interactional and personal levels.