Reciprocity
Based on the experience of exchange, reciprocity relates to the practice of giving and receiving, through objects as well as gestures. Reciprocity brings the material and the emotional world into one place, placing importance on the symbolic nature of objects and the emotional expectation of exchange.
Living with and managing chronic illness is hard both for the NHS and patients. Whilst so much attention is paid to the type of the service the NHS should run, our research found a real need for people to be able to ‘give back’ to society and to the NHS. Many people felt overwhelmed with feelings of gratefulness for being looked after by society, despite the fact that they did not belong to the group of those ‘most in need’.
New and reformed care plans for this group of people will need to help patients to form networks and groups through which they can help others like themselves and achieve a feeling of reciprocity.