Direct care workers' response to dying and death in the nursing home: a case study.
OBJECTIVE
This paper is based on research that explored the cultural construction of dying and death in nursing homes and assisted living facilities in a large Northeastern city. It focuses on direct care workers' responses to elders' dying and death within the facility.


METHODS
Data were gathered in a multiyear, multisite study through formal ethnographic interviews, informal conversations, and on-site observations of staff members.


RESULTS
We introduce the case of Jayson, an activities director in a for-profit nursing home. We show how his belief system and experiences outside the facility, especially those concerning dying and death, shape his view of the nature and content of his work and his reaction to residents' deaths.


CONCLUSIONS
We suggest caretaking at the intersection of gender, race, socioeconomic status, and the inside and outside life of direct care workers as topics for future research.
Black
Helen K
HK
Community and Homecare Research Division, Thomas Jefferson University, 130 S. 9 St., Suite 515, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA. helen.black@Jefferson.edu
Rubinstein
Robert L
RL
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001293:Attitude to Death; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009735:Nursing Homes; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations