title: Caring dynamics as perceived by staff supporting daily occupations for developmentally disabled adults.
abstract: This study addresses caring staff experiences of hindrances and help in the support of daily occupations among people with developmental disabilities. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire consisting of open-ended questions about the staff perceptions of their work experiences. The respondents (n = 81), corresponding to 94.1% of all care staff employed in a geographically defined care area in southern Sweden, worked in various day activity units supporting the daily occupations of their clients. A constant comparative method of data analysis was used. Staff expressions were classified in two main categories of caring dynamics: an operational level and a managerial level. Four areas were identified at the operational level: encountering realities of practice, attitudes to the clients and work demand, using the potential of knowledge and strategies and applying helping actions to the client. The managerial level included two areas, generalized work strategy and individualized work strategy. It is suggested that to develop the quality of interventions for supporting daily activities among persons with developmental disabilities, efforts should be made to identify caring dynamics as experienced by the caring staff.
authors.affiliation: Lund University, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Division of Occupational Therapy, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dychawy-Rosner
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eklund
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Isacsson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D003631:Day Care, Medical; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000451:nursing*; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009788:Occupational Therapy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden