Perception de la santé et comparaison sociale dans le grand âge

Henchoz, Karine; Cavalli, Stefano; Girardin, Myriam

doi:10.3917/sss.263.0047

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

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“…Comparing oneself to a person in a worse situation than one’s own is a well-known and well-documented coping strategy that is used to accept one’s own situation (e.g. Baltes and Baltes 1990; Henchoz, Cavalli, and Girardin 2008). The present study shows that when this social comparison mechanism is ‘forced’ – for example, by making people eat together – this can have harmful effects as it sends the individual an image of themselves that they are not ready or willing to confront.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vital Service Captivity: Coping Strategies and Identity Negotiation

Guillemot

Dyen²,

Tamaro³

2021

Journal of Service Research

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Nursing homes are the quintessential example of vital service captivity. Consumers need vital services when they can no longer fulfil their basic needs on their own and their only choice is to delegate them to the market (e.g. care services for long-term and chronic illnesses, eating assistance at mealtimes). The service is referred to as ‘captive’ because older people are generally unwilling to use it, and when they have to, their options are limited. For elderly consumers, there is ‘no exit possible’, and as such they must integrate the service into their sense of self. The paper aims to (1) identify strategies for coping with vital service captivity and (2) present the identity negotiation mechanisms that lead people to choose one strategy over another. The study was conducted over a 6-month period in three nursing homes. Data collection includes semi-structured interviews, focus groups, participant observations, and micro-interviews with consumers – elderly residents and their families – and nursing home staff. Its main contribution is to highlight that coping with vital service captivity is a differential process. Consumers implement multiple coping strategies simultaneously, and these strategies are linked to three areas: routinization, socialization, and assimilation of a new social status. Moreover, implementing coping strategies means striking a balance between ‘disengagement’ and ‘engagement’ that not only takes into account former life trajectory, future prospects, and social comparisons, but also any changes in physical or cognitive skills and family support. Understanding these coping strategies and identity negotiation mechanisms highlights some unintended consequences on residents’ well-being, such as the importance of standardizing how the service is organized because it provides a stable framework, or the importance given to the well-being of all stakeholders (other consumers, staff) as a result of the community living situation.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%