The Territories of Sociocultural and Social Work in Nursing Homes: Balancing Organizational Constraints and Care for Elderly People’s Life Quality
Stemming from a double case study, this article looks at the place allocated to social workers (“animators”) and to sociocultural activities in nursing homes. Organizational analysis shows that these activities and the “animators” who organize them are part of a “system of actions.” Therefore, sociocultural work in nursing homes cannot be understood by solely studying its internal logic. Other institutional actors and actions constituting the system must be taken into account. In parallel, this study shows how institutions contribute to shaping elderly people’s life territories.