The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences
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J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci · Sep 2003
The metaphor of "family" in staff communication about dying and death.
Caregiving staff need to have a way to make sense out of the death and dying of nursing home residents. A range of cultural and institutional factors (e.g., disenfranchised grief; professional distance) thwart their expression of grief. This research examines the neglected area of staff's social construction of the meaning of their relationship with dying and deceased residents. ⋯ The family metaphor provides cultural scripts that enable staff to overcome barriers to the expression of grief. The family metaphor structures the meaning for staff of death and bereavement, and it provides a bridge between their work and personal experience.