Senior citizens´ opinions about how caregivers should be rewarded for their work

The bachelor thesis deals with rewards given by seniors to the caregivers employed in home care service institutions. Its aim was to investigate if such rewards influence the relationship between the caregiver and the client as well as the quality of provided care. The relationship between the persons involved can influence possible acceptance of a gift, its rejection or presenting a gift. Despite the fact that both the seniors and caregivers deny any change of mutual relations after accepting a reward, there still exist certain, sometimes even negative, changes. From the point of view of the seniors such changes occur when the senior considers giving a reward to be a necessity and part of the care. On the other hand, the caregiver may feel that the relationship deteriorated after the acceptance of a reward which he or she views as too valuable, and yet is not able to reject it in an assertive way. A reward may lead to enhanced {\clqq}permeability`` along the boundary between the caregiver and the client. Some caregivers feel indebted and try to pay back the client´s favour. Thus there can be an {\clqq}unconscious`` shift in the quality of care. The caregivers admit that they sometimes do the client an extra favour which is beyond their standard duties. The thesis also deals with the ethical aspects of accepting gifts