Centre for Policy on Ageing



Injustice and conflict in nursing homes: toward advocacy and exchange
Author(s)	H Wayne Nelson
Journal title	Journal of Aging Studies, vol 14, no 1, March 2000
Pages	pp 39-62
Keywords	Patients [nursing homes] ; Personnel ; Personal relationships ; Advocacy ; United States of America.
Annotation	This article examines the relational dynamics and patterns of conflict exhibited in the relationship between staff and patients in nursing homes. In the framework of the social exchange theory of structural power, it explains how the asymmetrical structure of dependence and control in nursing homes eliminates the possibility of fair bargaining - normal conflict - between staff and patients. In the absence of any opportunity for reciprocal rewards and punishment, patients tend to adopt submissive influence strategies, whereas staff members tend to neglect, exploit, or abuse difficult or resistant patients. The author examines the exchange dynamics of adversarial tactics and the prevalence of third-party conflict in the nursing home, and shows that a partisan, patient-directed ally (advocate) could rebalance power and eliminate inequities in the nursing home environment. (AKM).
Accession Number	CPA-000522250 A
Classmark	LHB:LF: QM: DS: IQ: 7T
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...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing.