Everyday ethics of dementia care in nursing homes: A definition and taxonomy

Too often the attention of formalized ethical decision making in health care settings turns to hard to deal with life and death issues. Consequently, consideration of the ethical aspects of ordinary everyday issues affecting nursing home residents with dementia and those who care for them remains limited. The purpose of this twoyear anthropological study was to develop a taxonomy of commonplace ethical issues, taking into account resident, family member, and nursing home staff member points of view. This paper defines the guiding concept of everyday ethics as it has been used in the research and describes the taxonomy, of which there are four domains: • Learning the limits of intervention; • Tempering the culture of surveillance and restraint; • Preserving the integrity of the individual; and • Defining community norms and values. Discussion considers the usefulness of the taxonomy as a framework for thinking about what may be involved in understanding the ethics of the ordinary and resolving common types of issues and concerns.