Ethnographic Research
Part I The focus of my study is the interactions inside a nursing home environment. I observed the social interactions between the elders and nurses, elders and family, and elders among other elders. The reason why I decided to study this particular group of people was primarily because my grandma currently resides in a nursing home. I also wanted to observe how elders keep up with relationships and social interactions when living in a nursing home. Although my grandma was at the nursing home where I did my observations, I did not observe her as a subject.
Part II The building I did my observations in was called the Johnson Center. It was a two-floor, dark and light brown building. The entrance on the outside of the Johnson Center was inviting, but once I went inside, there was a sadness that overcame my mood. There was also this distinctive scent, like mixed meatloaf and hand sanitizer, which attached itself in my nose during the entirety of my observations. The area I did my observations was located on the second floor, directly in the middle of the floor. There were five halls that lead from the dining room to the bedrooms of the residents, and to an “activity room” and the “living room,” which had couches, a TV, two parrots in a cage, and access to the outside patio area. But, the dining room area was the main focus of study of my observations. The dining room area was about the size of the classroom we hold class in. It had a tall ceiling with many windows that let in some natural sunlight. There was a black piano, which is where I sat when I did my observations. A clear windowed office filled the side of the dining room. The tables in this dining room were set up with white table cloths, red napkins, coffee cups and utensils. When lunch came out, the trays took over the majority of space left on the table. Some tables were completed with chairs, while other tables weren’t, since the elders in wheel chairs occupied that space. The noise level was at a
Part II The building I did my observations in was called the Johnson Center. It was a two-floor, dark and light brown building. The entrance on the outside of the Johnson Center was inviting, but once I went inside, there was a sadness that overcame my mood. There was also this distinctive scent, like mixed meatloaf and hand sanitizer, which attached itself in my nose during the entirety of my observations. The area I did my observations was located on the second floor, directly in the middle of the floor. There were five halls that lead from the dining room to the bedrooms of the residents, and to an “activity room” and the “living room,” which had couches, a TV, two parrots in a cage, and access to the outside patio area. But, the dining room area was the main focus of study of my observations. The dining room area was about the size of the classroom we hold class in. It had a tall ceiling with many windows that let in some natural sunlight. There was a black piano, which is where I sat when I did my observations. A clear windowed office filled the side of the dining room. The tables in this dining room were set up with white table cloths, red napkins, coffee cups and utensils. When lunch came out, the trays took over the majority of space left on the table. Some tables were completed with chairs, while other tables weren’t, since the elders in wheel chairs occupied that space. The noise level was at a
Bibliography: Brookman, A., & Kimbrel, D. (2011). Families and Elder Care in the Twenty-First Century. The Future of Children, 21(2), 117-140. Brownie, S., & Horstmanshof , L. (2012). Creating the conditions for self-fulfilment for aged care residents. Nursing Ethics, 6, 777-786. Gerritsen , D. L., Steverink, N., Ooms, M. E., & Ribbe, M. W. (2004). Finding a Useful Conceptual Basis for Enhancing the Quality of Life of Nursing Home. Quality of Life Research, 13(3), 611-624. Stabell, A., Eide, H., Solheim, G. A., Solberg , K. N., & Rustøen. (2004). Nursing home residents ' dependence and independence. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 13(6), 677-686.