Health Sciences 4711A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Dementia, Final Analysis, Participant Observation
Document Summary
Mealtime in nursing homes: the role of nursing staff. Food service largely has become identified as a non-nursing duty and as a task that should be completed as quickly as possible. This conflicts with the evidence that social interaction at mealtimes has the potential to promote well being. Using observational and interview techniques, the social and functional context of meal service in 10 nursing homes was examined. Three broad themes describing the cultural practices of nursing home staff during mealtimes are identified: maintaining personal identity, assisting individuals to eat, maintaining interaction. Nurses did not see problems and deficiencies with the service. Nursing in nursing homes is portrayed in the literature as a professional activity that promotes independence but manages dependence when necessary, and does not focus exclusively on physical care. Residents reliant on assistance at mealtimes have risen. In nursing homes, mealtimes take on special significance as indicators of time, place, so(cid:272)ial i(cid:374)te(cid:396)a(cid:272)tio(cid:374), a(cid:374)d (cid:862)(cid:374)o(cid:396)(cid:373)alit(cid:455)(cid:863)