Morality in the Making: The Collaborative Relationship Between Formal Caregivers, Informal Caregivers, and Nursing...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Healthcare Ethics
• Sociology of Health

Background:

• Effective collaboration between formal and informal caregivers is crucial for nursing home resident care.
• Role ambiguity frequently obstructs collaboration between formal and informal caregivers.
• Understanding the moral basis of responsibilities is key to improving care relationships.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how formal caregivers, informal caregivers, and residents establish moral understandings of their responsibilities.
• To analyze the impact of these moral understandings on the triadic caregiving relationship.

Main Methods:

• Responsive evaluation methodology employed.
• Conducted 28 semistructured interviews with formal caregivers, informal caregivers, and residents.
• Utilized Walker's (2007) expressive-collaborative model of morality for theoretical analysis.

Main Results:

• Formal caregivers were assigned greater moral responsibilities, especially decision-making authority.
• Informal caregivers desired more influence, while residents' views were unclear.
• Divergent views on moral responsibilities generated relational tensions, impacting trust and recognition.

Conclusions:

• Walker's model illuminates moral dynamics in formal-informal caregiver-resident collaboration.
• Traditional hierarchies and ethical mismatches impede informal caregiver involvement.
• Adaptations in practice and culture are needed to enhance the triadic collaborative relationship.