Äldres psykiska ohälsa, en bortglömd samhällsfråga? : En kvalitativ intervjustudie med biståndshandläggare om deras erfarenheter i sin yrkesroll i arbetet med äldre som har psykisk ohälsa och en textanalys av formella riktlinjer

Sammanfattning: The aim of this study was to examine how elderly with mental illness is assured help and support within the municipal elderly care in Stockholm. The aim was further on to receive an increased understanding of the social workers professional role and experiences in their work regarding elderly with mental illness. The empirical data has been obtained through group-and individual interviews with social workers operative within the elderly care in Stockholm, in addition to a qualitative text analysis. Based on the study's theoretical concepts: grass-roots bureaucracy, discretion and the principle of normalisation, the empirics has been analysed. The result indicates a deficiency of resources, a lack of knowledge regarding mental illness amongst the elderly, in addition to mental illness being difficult to define. Further on, aspects of restricted discretion and a lack of the normalization principle are described, which depictures that needs of the elderly individuals are set in relation to standardised efforts and resource priorities. To conclude, a reflection about how the municipal elderly care and its aim possibly would have altered if the principle of normalisation was implemented and based upon a model of rights.