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Sexual harassment from older residents at long-term care facilities: is it really part of the job?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 October 2019

Feliciano Villar ,
Josep Fabà ,
Rodrigo Serrat ,
Montserrat Celdrán  and
Teresa Martínez
Feliciano Villar*
Affiliation:
Department of Cognition, Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, Passeig de la Vall d’Hebron 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
Josep Fabà
Affiliation:
Department of Cognition, Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, Passeig de la Vall d’Hebron 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
Rodrigo Serrat
Affiliation:
Department of Cognition, Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, Passeig de la Vall d’Hebron 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
Montserrat Celdrán
Affiliation:
Department of Cognition, Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, Passeig de la Vall d’Hebron 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
Teresa Martínez
Affiliation:
Social Services and Rights Department, Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Feliciano Villar, Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, Passeig de la Vall d’Hebron 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain. Phone: +34 933125860. Fax: +34 934021368. Email: fvillar@ub.edu.
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Abstract

Objectives:

To explore the extent to which staff members in long-term care facilities (LTCF) have experienced situations of sexual harassment, how they commonly and ideally manage the situation, and how their work position influences their responses.

Design:

Cross-sectional quantitative study, using the vignette technique.

Method:

A total of 2,196 staff-members who were currently working in Spanish LTCF participated in the study. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Questions regarding sexual harassment were analysed by a vignette that described a case of sexual harassment. Participants had to choose common and best practices for dealing with the case, and report the frequency with which they had experienced similar situations.

Results:

The results indicate that 29.9% of participants had experienced an episode of sexual harassment in a LTCF similar to the one presented in the vignette. Responses to the situation were diverse and there were significant differences between common and perceived best practices. Differences were also found depending on the work position of the participant (manager, technical staff or nursing assistant).

Conclusions:

There is a need for a fuller recognition of the sexual needs of older people. However, the presence of inappropriate sexual behavior must also be acknowledged. The right of staff to work in an environment free of harassment must be respected. The need for explicit institutional guidelines and training opportunities is discussed.

Keywords

sexualitysexual harassmentresidential aged care facilitiescare assistantsgood practice
Type
Original Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 32 , Issue 3: Issue Theme: Improving Healthcare in Long-Term Care and Nursing Homes , March 2020 , pp. 325 - 333
Copyright
© International Psychogeriatric Association 2019

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