Implications of the shifting landscape of residential care for volunteers' lived experiences and role involvement
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Date
2017
Authors
Funk, Laura
Roger, Kerstin Steiber
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Springer Nature
Abstract
Volunteer contributions in residential care are viewed as an important way to meet older adults’ psychosocial needs in the context of strained resources and increasingly complex resident populations. The implications of this context for volunteering experiences are rarely considered. This paper presents findings from interviews with 18 volunteers and 9 facility representatives in one Canadian city. Volunteers believed they made a difference through filling care and human resource gaps, helping both residents and paid employees. Organizational regulations at times limited their abilities to help residents, connect with residents relationally, and their integration within care teams. Organizational expectations could also pose a challenge for volunteers’ autonomy, and some actively resisted a formal role. Interactions with residents with advanced dementia challenged volunteers’ perceptions of effectiveness, appreciation, and emotional connection. Implications are discussed in relation to the needs of paid employees and care recipients, as well as training, regulating, managing, and retaining residential care volunteers.
Description
Keywords
Nursing homes; role interpretations; volunteer experiences; role formalization
Citation
Funk, L., & Roger, K.S. (2017) Implications of the shifting landscape of residential care for volunteers’ lived experiences and role involvement. Ageing International, 42, 44–61. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12126-016-9277-z