Who cares? Tinkering with values in geriatric care by first-generation immigrant newcomers and established caregivers in a German residential home

Abstract

A German residential home invited recently arrived refugees who were interested in working in geriatric care. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into how established caregivers and first-generation immigrant newcomers tinkered with values to enact care for people with dementia. This ethnographic study included 200 h of participant observations, 24 in-depth interviews, two focus-group interviews with six first-generation immigrants and six established staff members. The established caregivers and first-generation immigrant newcomers demonstrated a willingness and ability to tinker in situations when different values came into play. However, when the workload becomes too heavy, staff from both groups may experience feelings of powerless, indifferent and demotivation. Institutional constraints exert a negative influence on the interaction between established caregivers and first-generation immigrant newcomers and impact their enactment of care for geriatric residents with dementia. In such situations, it becomes crucial for staff to have a supportive supervisor who can help them cope with the daily stressors of their practice.