"That Is So Common Everyday . . . Everywhere You Go": Sexual Harassment of Workers in Assisted Living.

In assisted living (AL) facilities, workers are intimately involved in the lives of residents. Existing research on AL demonstrates the imbalance of this environment, which is a personal home for the residents and a workplace for staff. Using observational and interview data collected from six AL facilities, this grounded theory project analyzes how AL staff define, understand, and negotiate sexual comments, joking, and physical touch. We developed a conceptual model to describe how such harassment was perceived, experienced by AL workers, and how they responded. Sexualized behavior or harassment was experienced by workers of every status. We found that words and actions were contextualized based on resident and worker characteristics and the behavior. Staff members refused to engage residents, redirected them, or reframed the words and gestures to get the job done. Reporting the incidents was less common. We conclude by discussing implications for policy and research.

Understanding Sexual Freedom and Autonomy in Assisted Living: Discourse of Residents' Rights Among Staff and Administrators.

OBJECTIVES: In contrast to nursing homes, assisted living (AL) facilities emphasize independence and autonomy as part of their mission. However, we do not know to what extent this extends to sexual freedom and autonomy. METHOD: Using grounded theory methodology and symbolic interactionism, we examine how staff and administrators in AL facilities discuss residents' rights to sexual freedom and how this influences the environment of AL. RESULTS: Staff and administrators engage in a contradictory discourse of residents' rights that simultaneously affirms the philosophy of AL while behaving in ways that create an environment of surveillance and undermine those rights. DISCUSSION: A discourse of residents' rights masks a significant conflict between autonomy and protection in regards to sexual freedom in AL.