Von sorgend bis versorgt - Männlichkeitskonstruktionen hochaltriger Bewohner im Pflegeheim

Während sich der Perspektive sorgender Männer im Kontext der Care-Debatte verstärkt zugewendet wurde, stellt die Perspektive der Gepflegten auf Sorgearbeit im Pflegeheim eine Leerstelle dar. Der vorliegende Beitrag rückt anhand von zwei Fallbeispielen, Walter Probst (93) und Günther Schiffke (78), die Perspektive der pflegebedürftigen hochaltrigen Männer auf die geleistete Pflege und ihre Männlichkeitskonstruktionen in den Fokus. Dabei stehen das Verhältnis zwischen Pfleger*innen und Bewohner in der Pflegesituation sowie die Übernahme von Care-Aufgaben und die daraus resultierenden Männlichkeitskonstruktionen im Mittelpunkt. Während Walter Probst 'weibliche' und 'männliche' Pflege verhandelt und die Aushandlung von Handlungsmacht in der Situation der Körperpflege schildert, kann Günther Schiffke durch die Übernahme von Care-Arbeit ein Näheverhältnis zu den Pfleger*innen herstellen. Das Material zeigt zum einen das stereotype Verständnis und die Reproduktion von Männlichkeit(en) und Weiblichkeit(en) in der Pflege der Bewohner. Zum anderen wird sichtbar, wie die Person im Pflegeheim durch die Übernahme von Care-Aufgaben einen Wandel hin zu fürsorglichem Verhalten vollzieht und damit auch veränderte Männlichkeitskonstruktionen einhergehen.While the focus of the care debate was increasingly placed on caring men and masculinity, the perspective of the men receiving care, especially in nursing homes, is still uncharted territory. This article is based on two case studies – one with Walter Probst (93) and one with Günther Schiffke (78) - and shows their perspective on the care they receive and on the constructions of masculinity in the care context. The focus is on the relationship between carers and residents in the care situation as well as on taking on care tasks and the resulting constructions of masculinity. While Walter Probst negotiates 'male' and 'female' care and describes the negotiation of agency in relation to body care, Günther Schiffke establishes a close relationship with the caregivers by taking on care work. The material, first, shows the stereotypical understanding and reproductions of masculinity and femininity and nego tiation of power in the care of residents. Second, it shows how, by taking on care tasks, nursing home residents can adopt new caring behaviour, a change that is accompanied by changed constructions of masculinity

Doing Digital Biography: Closeness and ageing in pandemic times

Die Veränderlichkeit und Endlichkeit von Körpern im lebenslangen Alterungsprozess und die gesellschaftlichen Verhältnisse, die diese prädisponieren, adressiert der vorliegende Artikel mit einem Fokus auf Nähebeziehungen im pandemischen Kontext. Materialbasis sind virtuell geführte Gruppendiskussionen mit Menschen zwischen 60 und 80 Jahren. Dabei bildete der virtuelle Raum einen medial vermittelten Begegnungsraum, um Körper retrospektiv (neu) zu lesen. Die erzählten »Körperbiografien« stellen dabei Aushandlungen des alternden Subjekts im Kontext der pandemischen Situiertheit und Handlungsfähigkeit dar. Die Einschränkungen durch die Reglementierungen und Lockdowns, die Konstruktion als Risikogruppe und die daraus resultierende Wahrnehmung von Körperlichkeit wurde von den Teilnehmer*innen in ihrer Ambivalenz reflektiert. Nähebeziehungen werden dabei in besonderer Weise adressiert – durch die Abwesenheit körperlicher Nähe, die Erfahrung von Nähe in virtuellen Räumen und in Form von reflexiven, biografischen (Selbst-)Begegnungen, die sich zwischen Selbstversicherung und transformativen Selbstbildungsprozessen aufspannen.The paper deals with the transformation and finitude of bodies in the lifelong aging process and the social conditions that predispose them focussing on close relationships in a pandemic context. The material was generated during virtually conducted group discussions with people between the ages of 60 and 80. The virtual space formed both a boundary and a space of possibility to (re)read bodies retrospectively. The narrated »body biographies« represent negotiations of the subject in the context of the pandemic situatedness and agency. Participants reflected on the ambivalence of the restrictions imposed by regulations and lockdowns, the construction as a risk group, and the resulting perception of corporeality. The data points to the lack of physical closeness relationships and the possibilities of closeness in virtual spaces. The reflexive, intra-biographical encounters oscillate between self-assurance and transformative processes of self-formation

EQualCare Policy Report Germany : Alone but connected? Digital (in)equalities in care work and generational relationships among older people living alone

The policy review is part of the project EQualCare: Alone but connected? Digital (in)equalities in care work and generational relationships among older people living alone, a three-year international project involving four countries: Finland, Germany, Latvia and Sweden. EQualCare interrogates inequalities by gender, cultural and socio-economic background between countries, with their different demographics and policy backgrounds. As a first step into empirical analysis, the policy review aims to set the stage for a better understanding of, and policy development on, the intersections of digitalisation with intergenerational care work and care relationships of older people living alone in Germany. The policy review follows a critical approach, in which the problems policy documents address are not considered objective entities, but rather discursively produced knowledge that renders visible some parts of the problem which is to be solved as other possible perspectives are simultaneously excluded. Twenty publicly available documents were studied to analyse the processes in which definitions of care work and digital (in)equalities are circulated, translated and negotiated between the different levels of national government, regional governments and municipalities as well as other agencies in Germany. The policy review consists of two parts: a background chapter providing information on the social structure of Germany, including the historical development of Germany after the Second World War, its political structure, information on the demographic situation with a focus on the 60+ age group, and the income of this age group. In addition, the background presents the structure of work and welfare, the organisation of care for old people, and the state of digitalisation in Germany. The analysis chapter includes a description of the method used as well as an overview of the documents chosen and analysed. The focus of this chapter is on the analysis of official documents that deal with the interplay of living alone in old age, care, and digitalisation. The analysis identified four themes: firstly, ageing is framed largely as a challenge to society, whereas digitalisation is framed as a potential way to tackle social challenges, such as an ageing society. Secondly, challenges of ageing, such as need of care, are set at the individual level, requiring people to organise their care within their own families and immediate social networks, with state support following a principle of subsidiarity. Thirdly, voluntary peer support provides the basis for addressing digital support needs and strategies. Publications by lobby organisations highlight the important work done by voluntary peer support for digital training and the benefits this approach has; they also draw attention to the over-reliance on this form of unpaid support and call for an increase in professional support in ensuring all older people are supported in digital life. Fourthly, ageing as a hinderance to participation in digital life is seen as an interim challenge among younger old people already online. In summary, the analysis shows that the connection between ageing and digitalisation remains a marginal topic in current politics. The focus on older people merely as a potential group at risk of being left behind implies a deficit perspective on ageing and a homogenising of a large and diverse age group. Lessons learnt from the pandemic should not be interpreted in a one-sided way, by merely acknowledging the increasing number of (older) people moving online, but by acknowledging intersecting inequalities that mitigate social participation