Developing the 'Caring Being' in Social Work: Reflections on my Grandmother's Life

In: The British journal of social work, Band 53, Heft 3, S. 1368-1384

Open Access

Abstract

Abstract
The article is a personal story about my grandmother and how she experienced care in her old age. By sharing my grandmother's life story about caring and reflecting on it, I inductively develop a thesis on caring and argue that caring is an asymmetrical phenomenon, and we can do better. The discussion includes the role of caring in social work practice and how to inculcate a focus on caring among workers so that they may contribute to creating caring communities. First, it exposes the complex phenomenon of dispossession at both personal and political levels and its implications for caring for elderly people. Secondly, it suggests the need for basic technology transfer. Thirdly, it points out the significance of emotional and material care and commitment to caring and challenges to sustaining it, and the need for innovations to enhance human caring. Fourthly, it emphasises the best interests of elderly people when choosing the place and space for caring arrangements. Finally, to creating caring communities, it suggests implications for integrating reason and emotion, and altering the professional values-base and policies. Social workers and similar professionals can contribute to caring communities to meet the challenging needs of growing ageing populations in the world.