Wizerunek życia osób starszych w oczach ich opiekunów
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Date
2012
Advisor
Editor
Journal Title
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Volume Title
Publisher
Wydawnictwo Naukowe UAM
Title alternative
Elderly people image among their caregivers
Abstract
In the research we look into the stereotypes caregivers hold about older people and old age and
the risk factors increasing the threat of stereotypical thinking. The dominance of negative stereotypes
as well as the existence of positive stereotypes distort the real image of old age and the
elderly with whom carers work. Our research can be treated as a preliminary diagnosis of carers’
needs. The profi le of the group and the recognition of carers’ problems will allow for elaborating
support programmes and developing an accurate educational offer. The research was conducted
on 98 people working in four care homes in the Wielkopolska region. A questionnaire, based on
Osgood’s semantic differential, specially drawn up for this study was used. The research demonstrates
that caregivers do not treat older people in a suffi ciently individualised way. The results
of cluster analysis following the k-mean procedure revealed that carers can be categorised into
fi ve groups: (1) persons who do not possess suffi cient knowledge about elderly people’s needs
and present common sense image of elderly people, (2) persons with realistic image about old
age, (3) persons who idealise old age, (4) persons who demonise old age, and (5) persons characterized
by ambivalent stereotypisation. In general, strong stereotypes were noted, both positive
and negative in character. The results show that a need exists to start a discussion about the
educational offer targeted at not only young people training for the profession of carers but also
long-time workers of care homes looking after seniors. There is a burning need to develop more
individualized educational programmes whose starting point would be a diagnosis of carers’
personal and social resources.
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Keywords
agism, attitudes, caregivers, negative stereotypes, positive stereotypes, personal and
Citation
Studia Edukacyjne, nr 19, 2012 s. 55-71
Seria
ISBN
978-83-232-2426-6
ISSN
1233-6688