Examples of different types of support through unexpected utilization of servicescape dimensions for customers experiencing vulnerabilities
| Type of support | Subcategories of support | Representative observations expressing support |
|---|---|---|
| Empowerment | Asking a resident for advice | In the dining room in Ixora: Troy Tuneful asks whether Magdalena used to dance a lot in the past. Magdalena nods. Troy Tuneful asks for advice: “Whose responsibility it is to see that toes do not get stepped on?” Magdalena responds, “It’s one’s own responsibility” |
| Asking a resident about his or her opinions | In the dining room in Ixora: Troy Tuneful and Snappy Scout ask what kind of music they should play. The residents suggest the tango. Clowns: “Tango!” Troy Tuneful searches for tango music and Snappy Scout starts to dance | |
| Praising a resident | In the dining room in Lobelia: Troy Tuneful plays the guitar. Cattie Cherry claps and gets Russell to clap in the same rhythm. Both clowns compliment Russell’s clapping skills. Cattie Cherry: “Fantastic clapping! A professional!” Russell laughs | |
| Comforting a resident | In Harriet’s room in Calendula: Harriet and Cattie Cherry sit on Harriet’s bed and Harriet explains in detail about the most traumatic event of her life: the death of her child. Cattie Cherry listens, and when Harriet bursts into tears, Cattie Cherry asks if she can hug Harriet. Harriet says “yes,” and Cattie Cherry hugs her for a long time. Harriet cries loudly and says, “It’s the best when someone touches me and hugs me; it heals me” | |
| Solving a problem together with the resident | In Stephania’s room in Lobelia: Mirthful Martha and Troy Tuneful talk in both Swedish and Finnish with Stephania, who is bilingual. Suddenly, they all start wondering what a seagull is in Swedish. Nobody remembers. Mirthful Martha asks if she can check that on the internet, and Stephania gives her permission. Mirthful Martha looks for the word on her mobile phone and finds the answer: “Mås!” Stephania confirms, “Yes, that’s right! Wasn’t it obvious to you?” | |
| Sharing secrets with a resident | In the dining room in Ixora: Cattie Cherry asks, “Am I ugly? I put on my festive shoes. Are they ugly?” Lena: “Beautiful shoes.” Cattie Cherry whispers to Lena, “I’ll tell you a secret. These are my mother’s shoes. Do not tell anyone!” | |
| Engagement | Giving full attention to a resident | In the corridor in Ixora: Chattie Cherry plays classical music and French chansons from the loudspeaker. She caresses Tamara’s hand and occasionally tickles her gently. Tamara, who is usually completely expressionless and does not visibly react to external stimuli, suddenly subtly smiles |
| Asking a resident questions | In Hazel’s room in Calendula: Cattie Cherry does riddles with Hazel. Cattie Cherry displays a posture, sitting sideways on a chair, and says, “This has something to do with Copenhagen.” Hazel: “It is the mermaid.” Mirthful Martha asks, “Have you seen the Eiffel Tower in Paris?” Hazel: “I have.” Cattie Cherry pretends to be the tower and then Mona Lisa. Cattie Cherry: “This one is in Paris, too.” Hazel asks, “Is it the Mona Lisa?” | |
| Making a resident curious | In the dining room in Calendula, Cattie Cherry takes a bottle from her bag and lets one of the residents smell it. The others are curious. “What is in it?” Cattie Cherry: “The smell of tar.” The residents smell the bottle and start asking questions: “What do you need oil for? Do you have a car? Smells bad! I would throw it in the woods!” | |
| Connection | Clown making similarities between the clown and a resident explicit | In the dining room in Ixora: Cattie Cherry: “You can try. My hands are really cold, but my heart is warm. Are your hands cold or warm?” Hubert: “Occasionally a bit cold.” Cattie Cherry: “But you also have a warm heart.” Hubert: “So they say.” Cattie Cherry: “We are a bit alike. … Yippee!” Hubert: “Yeah” |
| Imitating a resident | In the dining room in Ixora: Cattie Cherry and Snappy Scout are stretching. Finally, after many minutes, a resident, who sat still without expression, reacts and stretches her arms. Cattie Cherry starts to stretch next to her, and the residents mimics the movements | |
| Supporting residents’ connections with each other | In the corridor in Ixora, Troy Tuneful plays the guitar and invites the residents to dance if they feel like it. Troy Tuneful and Snappy Scout dance next to each other, swinging in synchrony. Residents gather around the clowns and mimic their dance movements. A female resident asks male resident to dance. The two do not dance, but they stand close to each other, almost leaning into one another and talking in whispers | |
| Dignity | Asking a resident for permission | In the dining room in Lobelia: Amy and Mercedes are watching TV. Troy Tuneful and Cattie Cherry ask if they can perform a magic trick. The residents want to see it, and Troy Tuneful mutes the TV. Cattie Cherry performs a trick using a coloring book. The residents seem to enjoy it |
| Being polite | Mirthful Martha and Troy Tuneful play music and dance when entering the dining room in Calendula. Harriet comments: “I have some food left. I’m still eating.” Clowns say that they do not want to disturb her breakfast and exit the room. Harriet thanks them |
| Type of support | Subcategories of support | Representative observations expressing support |
|---|---|---|
| Empowerment | Asking a resident for advice | In the dining room in Ixora: Troy Tuneful asks whether Magdalena used to dance a lot in the past. Magdalena nods. Troy Tuneful asks for advice: “Whose responsibility it is to see that toes do not get stepped on?” Magdalena responds, “It’s one’s own responsibility” |
| Asking a resident about his or her opinions | In the dining room in Ixora: Troy Tuneful and Snappy Scout ask what kind of music they should play. The residents suggest the tango. Clowns: “Tango!” Troy Tuneful searches for tango music and Snappy Scout starts to dance | |
| Praising a resident | In the dining room in Lobelia: Troy Tuneful plays the guitar. Cattie Cherry claps and gets Russell to clap in the same rhythm. Both clowns compliment Russell’s clapping skills. Cattie Cherry: “Fantastic clapping! A professional!” Russell laughs | |
| Comforting a resident | In Harriet’s room in Calendula: Harriet and Cattie Cherry sit on Harriet’s bed and Harriet explains in detail about the most traumatic event of her life: the death of her child. Cattie Cherry listens, and when Harriet bursts into tears, Cattie Cherry asks if she can hug Harriet. Harriet says “yes,” and Cattie Cherry hugs her for a long time. Harriet cries loudly and says, “It’s the best when someone touches me and hugs me; it heals me” | |
| Solving a problem together with the resident | In Stephania’s room in Lobelia: Mirthful Martha and Troy Tuneful talk in both Swedish and Finnish with Stephania, who is bilingual. Suddenly, they all start wondering what a seagull is in Swedish. Nobody remembers. Mirthful Martha asks if she can check that on the internet, and Stephania gives her permission. Mirthful Martha looks for the word on her mobile phone and finds the answer: “Mås!” Stephania confirms, “Yes, that’s right! Wasn’t it obvious to you?” | |
| Sharing secrets with a resident | In the dining room in Ixora: Cattie Cherry asks, “Am I ugly? I put on my festive shoes. Are they ugly?” Lena: “Beautiful shoes.” Cattie Cherry whispers to Lena, “I’ll tell you a secret. These are my mother’s shoes. Do not tell anyone!” | |
| Engagement | Giving full attention to a resident | In the corridor in Ixora: Chattie Cherry plays classical music and French chansons from the loudspeaker. She caresses Tamara’s hand and occasionally tickles her gently. Tamara, who is usually completely expressionless and does not visibly react to external stimuli, suddenly subtly smiles |
| Asking a resident questions | In Hazel’s room in Calendula: Cattie Cherry does riddles with Hazel. Cattie Cherry displays a posture, sitting sideways on a chair, and says, “This has something to do with Copenhagen.” Hazel: “It is the mermaid.” Mirthful Martha asks, “Have you seen the Eiffel Tower in Paris?” Hazel: “I have.” Cattie Cherry pretends to be the tower and then Mona Lisa. Cattie Cherry: “This one is in Paris, too.” Hazel asks, “Is it the Mona Lisa?” | |
| Making a resident curious | In the dining room in Calendula, Cattie Cherry takes a bottle from her bag and lets one of the residents smell it. The others are curious. “What is in it?” Cattie Cherry: “The smell of tar.” The residents smell the bottle and start asking questions: “What do you need oil for? Do you have a car? Smells bad! I would throw it in the woods!” | |
| Connection | Clown making similarities between the clown and a resident explicit | In the dining room in Ixora: Cattie Cherry: “You can try. My hands are really cold, but my heart is warm. Are your hands cold or warm?” Hubert: “Occasionally a bit cold.” Cattie Cherry: “But you also have a warm heart.” Hubert: “So they say.” Cattie Cherry: “We are a bit alike. … Yippee!” Hubert: “Yeah” |
| Imitating a resident | In the dining room in Ixora: Cattie Cherry and Snappy Scout are stretching. Finally, after many minutes, a resident, who sat still without expression, reacts and stretches her arms. Cattie Cherry starts to stretch next to her, and the residents mimics the movements | |
| Supporting residents’ connections with each other | In the corridor in Ixora, Troy Tuneful plays the guitar and invites the residents to dance if they feel like it. Troy Tuneful and Snappy Scout dance next to each other, swinging in synchrony. Residents gather around the clowns and mimic their dance movements. A female resident asks male resident to dance. The two do not dance, but they stand close to each other, almost leaning into one another and talking in whispers | |
| Dignity | Asking a resident for permission | In the dining room in Lobelia: Amy and Mercedes are watching |
| Being polite | Mirthful Martha and Troy Tuneful play music and dance when entering the dining room in Calendula. Harriet comments: “I have some food left. I’m still eating.” Clowns say that they do not want to disturb her breakfast and exit the room. Harriet thanks them |