Search results for ‘Subject term:"older people"’ Sort:
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Safeguarding vulnerable older people: a job for life?
- Author:
- MOORE Steve
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Adult Protection, 18(4), 2016, pp.214-228.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present the findings from one component of an empirical, mixed methods research project designed to determine the extent, nature and causes of abuse in contemporary independent sector care homes for older people. Design/methodology/approach: A self-completion, postal questionnaire was used to elicit both numerical and textual data that were subsequently subjected to both quantitative and qualitative analysis. The questionnaire was distributed to newly appointed care staff in five participating care homes to determine the nature of any abuse they may have witnessed in the homes in which they had previously worked. Findings: A significant proportion of respondents described instances of predominantly psychological and physical abuse and neglect and revealed hitherto undisclosed abusive practices. Research limitations/implications: Though the research draws upon the experiences of only 140 anonymous questionnaire respondents, of whom 94 had witnessed abuse, data suggest abuse continues to occur in some care homes for older people. Originality/value: The research has revealed staffs’ recent experiences of a range of abusive acts and practices. Findings suggest that changes are required to current methods of external scrutiny and investigation of practices in care homes. (Publisher abstract)
Of myths and markets: how marketisation of the care home sector contributes to circumstances where abuse is more likely to occur and continue
- Author:
- MOORE Steve
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Adult Protection, 22(5), 2020, pp.315-331.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: Strategic socio-political views are notably scarce among contemporary discourses on the causes of abuse of vulnerable older people in care and nursing homes. This paper aims to catalyse higher order consideration and discussion of one socio-political characteristic that has relevance to the issue of abuse, that is, the market-like environment in which care and nursing homes in England operate. In doing so, the paper argues that the now firmly established but imbalanced “quasi-market” of care that has developed over many years fosters conditions under which both poor care and abuse are more likely to occur. The evidence presented in the paper focusses primarily on the rise to dominance of for-profit care home provision and the contraction of public sector provision. The paper does not examine in detail the characteristics and market presence of the not-for-profit sector because it has not held a numerically significant market share either historically or contemporarily. Design/methodology/approach: Outcomes of the marketisation of the care home sector that has its origins in the political landscape prevailing in 1979 and thereafter, along with the concurrent development of its regulation and oversight, are narrated and analysed. From this, a mythos of the motives behind the transition to a market-like economy that has taken place over four decades is developed and used to explain how prevailing market conditions contribute to the perpetuation of poor care and abuse. Findings: In the opinion of the author, there are identifiable consequences arising from the evolution of the current care economy that dispel the beliefs that providing care by means of current market-like arrangements is advantageous, that the independent regulation and monitoring of such a market is unproblematic and effective, and that the “consumers” in this market are exercising personal choice, in accord with classical economic theory. Practical implications: The paper offers the opportunity for the reader to consider how the development of a “quasi” market of care and nursing home services that has come to be dominated by for-profit private providers, and that is subject to ineffective oversight, may have contributed to conditions where abuse is more likely to occur and endure. Originality/value: This is a conceptual paper that explores the consequences of the creation of the market-like economy of care in which care and nursing homes now operate and suggests that it is time for prevailing market conditions to be re-visited and subjected to remedial strategic intervention. (Edited publisher abstract)
Sharpening Occam’s razor: developing theory to explain the persistent abuse of older people living in care homes
- Author:
- MOORE Steve
- Journal article citation:
- Working with Older People, 24(1), 2020, pp.49-60.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to discuss the relevance and importance of developing and making use of robust theory to explain and counter the tenacious social anomaly of the abuse of older people who live in care homes. Design/methodology/approach: The activities of theorising and conducting research to gain revised theoretical comprehension of why abuse occurs in care homes, along with the enduring over reliance of those with an interest in safeguarding on existing theories borrowed from other fields to guide their activities are considered and discussed. Findings: There is a pressing need for theory based understandings of the continuing abuse of older people and it is apparent that the development of such theory will be more productive if theorising and theory development are specific to certain types of abuse perpetrated in delineated settings. Practical implications: The paper offers the opportunity for the reader to consider the significance of theorising and developing new theory in order to improve of the protection of potentially vulnerable adults by virtue of the guidance it can provide to the activities of policy makers, managers and practitioners. Originality/value: This is a conceptual paper from which future theorising and research may arise to better understand the most fundamental causes of the abuse of older people in care homes (and elsewhere) in order to develop feasible and effective measures to overcome it. (Publisher abstract)
The relativity of theory: applying theories of social psychology to illuminate the causes of the abuse of older people in care homes
- Author:
- MOORE Steve
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Adult Protection, 21(2), 2019, pp.89 -110.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: Through the lens afforded by two theories drawn from the discipline of social psychology, the purpose of this paper is to explain the evident continuing abuse of adults at risk living in care homes by the staff who should be looking after them. Design/methodology/approach: By considering existing theories and research into the reasons why vulnerable adults are abused the paper proposes the relevance of other extant theories on the degradation of moral restraint and dehumanisation of victims, and on the social psychology of intergroup relations, to the perpetration of abuse. Findings: The paper demonstrates how theories that explain the psychology of human behaviour in certain circumstances may be usefully applied to the inveterate social problem of the abuse of vulnerable adults living in care homes. Practical implications: The paper offers the opportunity for the reader to consider how these theories of social psychology may be applied to explain and guide remedies to the persistent levels of abuse in English care homes, abuse that continues despite government oversight of care provided to adults who may be at risk by virtue of the activities of the statutory regulator and health and social care commissioners, and the interventions of safeguarding personnel. Originality/value: This is a conceptual paper from which future research and theorising may arise to better understand the most fundamental causes of the abuse of older people in care homes in order to develop feasible and effective measures to overcome it. (Edited publisher abstract)
Oops! Its happened again! Evidence of the continuing abuse of older people in care
- Author:
- MOORE Steve
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Adult Protection, 20(1), 2018, pp.33-46.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present findings from an empirical research project designed to enhance knowledge of the current extent and nature of abuse in contemporary care homes for older people. Design/methodology/approach: A self-completion, postal questionnaire was used to elicit both numerical and textual data that was subsequently subjected to both quantitative and qualitative analysis. The questionnaire was distributed to newly appointed care staff in six participating care homes providing care to older people to determine the nature of any abuse they may have witnessed in the homes in which they had previously worked. Findings: A significant proportion of respondents described instances of predominantly psychological and physical abuse and neglect. Research limitations/implications: Though the research draws upon the experiences of only 194 anonymous questionnaire respondents, of whom 140 had witnessed abuse; data suggest that abuse continues to occur in some care homes for older people. Originality/value: The research has revealed staffs’ recent experiences of a range of abusive acts and practices. Findings suggest that changes are required to current methods of external scrutiny and investigation of practices in care homes. (Publisher abstract)
The sound of silence: evidence of the continuing under reporting of abuse in care homes
- Author:
- MOORE Steve
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Adult Protection, 22(1), 2020, pp.35-48.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present findings from two research projects undertaken between 2015 and 2019 that reveal continued underreporting and sometimes active concealment of abuse in private sector care homes for older people in England. Design/methodology/approach: An anonymously completed questionnaire was used among newly appointed staff in 11 newly opened care homes to elicit both quantitative and qualitative data relating to the reporting of occurrences of abuse within the care homes in which they had previously worked. In total, 391 questionnaires in total were returned, 285 of which indicated that respondents had witnessed the perpetration of abuse on at least one occasion. Findings: A significant number of respondents indicated their awareness of acts of abuse that had not been reported within the care home(s) in which they had worked, or externally to the appropriate authorities. Some respondents were aware that where occurrences of abuse had been reported within care homes no subsequent action was taken, or that external authorities were not always involved in responses to abuse. A significant number of respondents described strategies that had been used to deter reports of abuse to external agencies and to conceal its occurrence from the statutory regulator and service commissioners. Research limitations/implications: Though the research draws upon the experiences of only 285 questionnaire respondents who had witnessed episodes of abuse, data suggest that a significant proportion of abuse in care homes remains unreported. Originality/value: The research has revealed experiences of continued underreporting and concealment of abuse among staff in private sector care homes. Findings indicate that a strengthening of incentives and protections extended to the staff who should report abuse are essential, and that changes to current methods of external scrutiny to which care homes are subject are required. (Edited publisher abstract)
The road goes ever on: evidence of the continuing abuse of older people in care homes
- Author:
- MOORE Steve
- Journal article citation:
- Working with Older People, 23(3), 2019, pp.152-166.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present findings from a research project designed to enhance knowledge of the current extent and nature of abuse in contemporary care homes for older people. Design/methodology/approach: A self-completion, postal questionnaire was used to elicit both numerical and textual data that were subsequently subjected to both quantitative and qualitative analysis. The questionnaire was distributed to newly appointed care staff in five participating care homes providing care to older people to determine the nature of any abuse they may have witnessed in the homes in which they had previously worked. Findings: A significant proportion of respondents had witnessed numerous occurrences of primarily psychological and physical abuse and neglect, perpetrated against the older people living in the care homes in which they had previously worked. Research limitations/implications: Although the research draws upon the experiences of only 197 anonymous questionnaire respondents, of whom 180 had witnessed abuse, data suggest that abuse continues to occur in some care homes for older people. Originality/value: The research has revealed staffs’ recent experiences of a range of abusive acts and practices. When combined with two previous studies using the same or a similar methodology, the research also confirms the enduring presence of abuse in care homes. Findings again suggest that changes are required to current methods of external scrutiny and investigation of practices in care homes. (Edited publisher abstract)
What’s in a word? The importance of the concept of “values” in the prevention of abuse of older people in care homes
- Author:
- MOORE Steve
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Adult Protection, 19(3), 2017, pp.130-145.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present some of the findings from an empirical, mixed methods research project that reveal the importance of the personal value frameworks held by individual staff in the prevention of abuse of older people in private sector care homes. Design/methodology/approach: Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with a sample of 36 care home personnel, including proprietors, care managers and care staff. Findings: A significant number of respondents identified the importance of personal value frameworks among staff providing care as a potential contributory factor in the prevention of abuse of older people. Research limitations/implications: Though the research draws upon the experiences of only 36 care home personnel through interviews, data suggest that the personal evaluations of staff towards those in their care is a significant contributory factor to the occurrence of abuse. Originality/value: The research has identified individual staff value frameworks as a causal factor in the occurrence of abuse. The research also confirms that the perceptions of “values” among respondents directly involved in the provision of care are at odds with common understanding of “values” often cited elsewhere in connection with staff recruitment and training as a means of preventing the occurrence of abuse. (Publisher abstract)