Abstract

This article investigated selected American plays to elaborate on the provision of aged care in the home or in a residential care setting; specifically, the maintenance of privacy and autonomy, how they relate to an individual’s ability to maintain their sense of self and social relations, and how the disruption of privacy and autonomy can result in significant effects are evaluated. In Sam Shepard’s “Buried Child” (1978), home is depicted as a problematic location for aged care provision. The aging father is ignored and restricted. This man’s loss of spatial control is a manifestation of the poor care he receives. Edward Albee’s “Three Tall Women” (1991) represents the problem of the institutionalization of the home space in a home care situation, meaning that the public space available for the provision of caregiving merges with the space wanted for individual privacy. The care recipient’s loss of accessibility and control of her body and home resulted in a sense of helplessness and depression. Tina Howe’s “Chasing Manet” (2009) explores the meaning of home for nursing home residents whose health conditions prevent them from living in their own homes. The residents in this play must endure surveillance and restriction in an environment of intense caregiving routines and spatial confinement. These dramatic texts illuminate that the home environment plays a significant role for older adults in maintaining their sense of self and identity. Maintenance of individual privacy and autonomy in the caregiving context is as crucial as the provision of social and professional resources and support.