In my diploma thesis, I had researched the preservation of the autonomy of residents in the Home for Older People Ptuj, Kidričevo unit. In the theoretical part, I presented long-term care and institutional care for older people. I also focused on the presentation of the importance of autonomy in old age and ensuring the autonomy of residents in institutional care. In addition, I presented social work with the older people and social work in a home for the older people, which have their specific characteristics. The main purpose was to explore the preservation of the autonomy of residents in institutional care. The residents and employees of the Home for Older People Ptuj, Kidričevo Unit were included in the research. I researched how employees in the home preserve and respect the autonomy of residents, what forms and methods of assistance are used by employees to encourage residents to maintain autonomy, how residents take care of maintaining their autonomy, and what are the practices for encouraging residents' autonomy. By qualitative research, where I conducted interviews with residents and employees, I obtained results that the autonomy of residents is being preserved by employees encouraging the residents to perform everyday tasks independently, to participate in assisting, to become involved in the Home’s operation, to express their wishes, comments, interests. Likewise, the residents themselves also strive to preserve their own autonomy. Employees are aware of the importance of encouraging residents to preserve independence, as it is one of the key factors for residents’ satisfaction. I propose that more nursing staff be employed in the Home for Older People Ptuj, Kidričevo Unit, as this would give them more time to provide care and they could focus even more individually on preserving the autonomy of residents. I also propose that employees should have training on the topic of empowering residents and would thus recognise or strengthen their knowledge on how to encourage residents to preserve the autonomy, and thereby further raise awareness of the importance of preserving the autonomy of residents in institutional care. Social workers are key experts in institutional care, as they empower the residents, support, and help them to preserve their autonomy, and face many challenges in homes for the older people, many of which are precisely related to preserving the autonomy of its residents.
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