Strangers in care: Using literature to re-theorize care for vulnerable elderly

Regulated fragmentation organises care of the vulnerable elderly into elements provided by the caring family, professionals, care workers from public/private providers and volunteers. In this exploratory article, I consider the role of the stranger in modern care management, a role that has up to now been neglected or been understood largely in terms of a migrant worker. Using literature, applying discourse analysis and drawing upon Simmel and Kristeva I outline dimensions of the stranger and the unfamiliar that can further research and policy considerations.