Kirsten Beedholm
Papers
2
Total Citations
77
H-Index
2
About
Kirsten Beedholm is a leading scholar in the sociology of health and aging, with a focused expertise on the human dimensions of assistive technology implementation in elder care. Her research critically examines the cultural, ethical, and emotional stakes involved when technologies like robot bathtubs are introduced into care settings, challenging purely functional or efficiency-driven narratives. Her major contributions include revealing how different stakeholder groups—from care workers to residents—hold complex, often conflicting attitudes toward these technologies, shaped by values, identity, and institutional logics. Her most cited work, "Attitudes to a robot bathtub in Danish elder care" (56 citations), is a landmark hermeneutic study that unpacks these tensions, while her follow-up paper (21 citations) deepens the analysis by exploring what else is at stake beyond purposeful rationality. Through her nuanced, interpretive approach, Beedholm has provided vital insights for policymakers and practitioners, demonstrating that successful technology adoption in care requires attending to the profound social and existential meanings at play. Her work remains essential reading for anyone studying the intersection of technology, ethics, and aging.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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