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Centre for Policy on Ageing | |
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Professional social workers' views on self-neglect
— an exploratory study | | Author(s) | Mary Rose Day, Geraldine McCarthy, Patricia Leahy-Warren |
| Journal title | British Journal of Social Work, vol 42, no 4, June 2012 |
| Pages | pp 725-743 |
| Source | http://bjsw.oxfordjournals.org |
| Keywords | Neglect [care] ; Self care capacity ; Case work ; Social workers ; Attitude. |
| Annotation | Self-neglect is characterised by an inability to meet one's own basic needs. It can include poor self-care, poor nutrition, non-compliance with prescribed medication, dilapidated environments, and hoarding of rubbish. Ageing populations, chronic illness, disability and poverty place individuals at risk for self-neglect. The aim of this study was to explore the views and experiences of Senior Case Workers (SCWs) in Ireland on self-neglect. The participants were a purposeful sample of 7 SCWs working in Elder Abuse Services who had clients with self-neglect on their caseload. Data was collected using in-depth semi-structured interviews which were tape recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed. Four major themes emerged from the findings: self-neglect as an entity; assessment; interventions; and ethical challenges. SCWs were challenged and frustrated by this complex multidimensional phenomenon. Furthermore, poor operational definitions of 'exceptional circumstances' and 'self-neglect' could lead to diversity in choosing and responding to self-neglect. Suggestions are made about ways in which practice, policy and research can be developed. (JL). |
| Accession Number | CPA-120824004 A |
| Classmark | QNR: CA: IGA: QR: DP |
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing |
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| ...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing. |
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