Ethical and Spiritual Care in Residential Care for Older People
Research type
Research Study
Full title
ETHoS Project: The Ethical Implications of Spirituality for Care-Recipients, Care-Givers and Chaplains in Residential Care for Older People
IRAS ID
233580
Contact name
Olivia Anna Luijnenburg
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Surrey
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 1 days
Research summary
This project aims to get a better understanding of what the ethical implications are of spirituality in care of older people, 65 years and older, that reside in care homes. To learn more about this, the researcher has selected three different care homes to conduct an ethnographic research through participant observations, focus groups with care home staff, and interviews with residents with capacity of the care home. At later stages in life, the need for spirituality tends to increase and ideas on what ‘spirituality’ entails change. Because of societal changes in for instance ageing, economy and migration, what is to be considered ethical and spiritual care changes as well. To identify these changes and what ethical and spiritual care practices are, is necessary in order to promote organisational change and innovation in the care environment. Observations will be conducted to research the care home culture regarding spirituality. The researcher will spend time in the communal areas of the care homes at set times. She will take on the role as a visitor. Focus groups with care home staff will be set up to understand what care-givers consider ethical and spiritual care. What gives someone spiritual well-being is often an intimate and personal experience and should therefore be discussed in a safe environment, through face to face interviews between the researcher and care home residents. To start the conversation, interviewees will be asked to bring an artefact that represents spirituality or spiritual wellbeing to them. The knowledge obtained through the ethnographic fieldwork will promote ethical care regarding spirituality in residential care for older people. The outcomes will function as a guide for ethical spiritual care in nursing education, for chaplains or other spiritual representatives or institutions affiliated with care for older people, and care home policies.
REC name
West Midlands - Coventry & Warwickshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/WM/0380
Date of REC Opinion
2 Nov 2017
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion