Sue Hollinrake and Will Thomas
– The purpose of this paper is to understand the nature of support that helps older people continue living in their own homes for as long as they wish to.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to understand the nature of support that helps older people continue living in their own homes for as long as they wish to.
Design/methodology/approach
The research made use of a participatory approach in which service users, service providers and commissioners were involved in the design of the approach in addition to contributing to the research as participants in their own right.
Findings
This paper presents analysis from the research which focuses on the importance of caring relationships for providing a support mechanism. The authors question whether budget cuts and efficiency drives within statutory care providers preclude the notion of caring relationships.
Practical implications
The authors suggest, in the light of the evidence presented, that statutory service providers should acknowledge the role that caring relationships play in providing support for older people. Whilst budget cuts make providing support for caring relationships more challenging, the authors suggest that there is scope for delivering services and support in ways which promote the types of interactions which better support older people living independently.
Originality/value
The analysis presented here provides a distinctive, timely and thoughtful insight into support for older people at a time when public sector budgets are under increasing pressure.
Details
Keywords
Will Thomas and Sue Hollinrake
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the impact of reforms designed to address economic and demographic challenges in England with reference to the authors’ own empirical work…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the impact of reforms designed to address economic and demographic challenges in England with reference to the authors’ own empirical work providing a critique of their impact and suggesting a way to improve the quality of social care for older people.
Design/methodology/approach
The research was a qualitative study conducted in a participatory manner in which older people were positioned as co-creators of the research study. This involved setting the scope of the study and identifying and refining the themes used in the analysis of an inquiry board and interviews.
Findings
The research findings highlight the threat of recent moves that emphasise “independence” and “self-management” particularly as they risk marginalising some groups of older people and reducing the quality of care. An alternative approach drawn from the ethics of care is suggested.
Research limitations/implications
The research study focused on a narrow selection of older people and future work will wish to explore concepts of “care” and “independence” in additional contexts and of reforms in other geographies.
Practical implications
The researchers argue that the current reform agenda threatens the quality of care services and suggest improvements to the way in which services might be organised and presented.
Social implications
It is intended that the research will contribute to social policy debates and particularly those that focus on social care. The study also looks to contribute to current work in the fields of critical gerontology, feminist ethics and the management of public services more generally.
Originality/value
The paper presents a novel and critical viewpoint of current social care policy in England and will therefore be of interest to policy-makers and to professionals.
Details
Keywords
Anneli Hujala, Sanna Laulainen and Kajsa Lindberg
– The purpose of this paper is to provide background to this special issue and consider how critically oriented research can be applied to health and social care management.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide background to this special issue and consider how critically oriented research can be applied to health and social care management.
Design/methodology/approach
Basic principles of critical management studies are introduced briefly to frame subsequent papers in this issue.
Findings
In order to identify the wicked problems and darker sides of the care field, there is a need to study things in alternative ways through critical lenses. Giving a voice to those in less powerful positions may result in redefinition and redesign of conventional roles and agency of patients, volunteers and professionals and call into question the taken-for-granted understanding of health and social care management.
Originality/value
The special issue as a whole was designed to enhance critical approaches to the discussion in the field of health and social care. This editorial hopefully raises awareness of CMS and serves as an opening for further discussion on critical views in the research on management and organization in this field.