Photography in care homes: methods for a revealing practice

This chapter discusses the findings of a study which explored the potential of visual methods in care home research. There was at that time a growing body of literature about quality of care and quality of life relating to older people in these settings. However, much of this research was written from the perspective of staff and policymakers rather than from the perspective of the older people. I wanted to explore the potential of visual research in eliciting the views of care home residents. This case study focuses on the use of participatory photographic research methods with older people living in care settings. I pay particular attention to ways of involving participants in the analysis of data. I begin by discussing the broader context of the study before describing the method I used. I also explore some of the opportunities and challenges this approach offered.