Håll i, håll ut, håll avstånd: Marknadiseringens och coronapandemins effekter för omsorgsarbetare på äldreboende – en kvalitativ intervjustudie

Sammanfattning: The aim of this thesis is to analyze the effects of both marketization and the corona pandemic on elderly care work in Swedish nursing homes. The study analyses stories, lived experiences and emotions of eight care workers by conducting qualitative semi-structured interviews. Further, I shed light on how these care workers see, feel and handle care users’ needs and organizational challenges in their daily practice. The theoretical framework consists of social reproduction theory (SRT) and its care crisis. Furthermore, theories about care and the rationality of caring are used. The analysis shows that the last decades of reorganization in elder care has had a big impact on care and care work which has been intensified by the current pandemic. Hence, what this thesis shows is that care work is highly complex as it builds on care workers personal and context-based experiences, emotions and knowledge. However, this doesn’t match with the organizational view on care as “simple work” which is connected to a devaluation and cuts in resources. By shedding light on care workers resistance and different strategies this study shows that there are almost no conditions given in order to conduct good care in a sustainable way.