Care ensembles: examining relational aspects of care in the context of home care

Abstract

We adapt the concept of the ‘consumption ensemble’ to capture the nuanced collaborations between actors in the provision and receipt of home care. Data were from a ten-year study of home care clients, family carers and workers in selected Canadian provinces. Using the lens of the ‘ensemble’, we analysed interviews with 24 dyads (carers and clients) and reviewed findings of our previously published research. Evidence of agency as collective endeavour supporting client autonomy and of improvisation in the ensemble informed a revision of our previous interactive model of care, emphasising the bidirectional nature of care relationships.