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In new encounters ...

Henry Maier

In new encounters, persons are judged for their totality and their specific variation from others. They are initially noted for their personal qualities rather than their role performance. A care worker needs to invest energy to make the clients experience that attention is directed to them.

Additionally, if the recipient feels titillated by this encounter with the care worker, so much the better!

This kind of interchange is facilitated by meeting the other person with a statement rather than a question. For example, in place of “What is your name?", it is decidedly more connecting to state: “My name is --; I wonder what I shall call you!" Most important, workers need to be interesting for their appearance and for things readily available in their pockets for play or other form of potential interactions. Care workers have to come across as persons rather than as agents of a program.

Establishing meaningful contacts requires energy-laden outreach as well as time and space for the persons who await connections. It is essential that time is allowed to incorporate the interactive experience step-by-step. This means repeated pauses in verbal input, in the exchange of eye contacts, and in the nature of physical and spatial approachment.