Article, 2024

Singling out A method of group inclusion for residents living with dementia

Pragmatics and Society, ISSN 1878-9714, Volume 15, 1, Pages 157-177, 10.1075/ps.23049.ras

Contributors

Rasmussen G. 0000-0002-2940-0839 (Corresponding author) [1]

Affiliations

  1. [1] University of Southern Denmark
  2. [NORA names: SDU University of Southern Denmark; University; Denmark; Europe, EU; Nordic; OECD]

Abstract

This EMCA (Ethnomethodology and Conversation Analysis) study concerns carers'multimodalmethods for including residents living with dementia in social activities in remote locations. It illustrates how groups of residents are pre-arranged and how the residents are subsequently singled out one by one through requests to come along. Though the request may be the second one, it may be designed as a first request. Subsequently, carers employmultimodal methods to solicitmoving and to escort the singled-out residents. The paper concludes that carers' methods are employed with a view to difficulties resulting from dementia and to pre-empt confusion in the residents. However, the methods may lead to exclusion. Except for one instance, this is not problematized by the residents. The paper argues that some residents may understand they will be included next or in a while. For other residents, forthcoming activities are not relevant unless extra efforts are made to reintroduce their relevance to them.

Keywords

dementia, group formation, inclusion, multimodality, recipient design, singling out

Data Provider: Elsevier