New Choreographies of Care: Understanding the Digital Transformation of Body Work in Care for Older People

Use of new care technologies is currently a central part of governance agendas in many Western welfare states and may profoundly change day-to-day practices of care for older people. This chapter focuses on an often overlooked aspect of care practices, the ‘body work’ of care, and how this is transformed with new care technologies. The chapter develops the concept of ‘choreographies of care’ that focuses analytical attention on how body work interactions in care with new technologies are ‘staged’ by the involved human and non-human actors to achieve specific outcomes related to political and professional agendas. The analytical potential of this concept is demonstrated through three empirical examples from ethnographic case studies of Danish practices involving new care technologies in care for older people: the use of sensor floors, wash-and-dry toilets, and virtual homecare visits. The examples display agendas of promoting increased self-care, independence of care services, and person-centred care.