Narrative competence in caring encounters with persons with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities

Background: Persons with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities form a vulnerable group within the Norwegian health and social care system, whose needs can be poorly understood due to their cognitive and communicative challenges. nAim: This article aims to contribute to a richer understanding of persons with profound disabilities as narrative agents, and to highlight how the narrative competence of healthcare staff can be instrumental to a person-centred approach. nMethod: The methodology used was a practice development project in residential housing for persons with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities. Dialogue seminars and reflection seminars with staff were conducted, and a group interview was carried out. nResults: Episodes of emotional, embodied and silent narratives were identified. These episodes illustrated the staff’s narrative competence in bodily enacted caring encounters. nConclusion: This small-scale practice development project can contribute to changes and new ways forward towards person-centred care for adults with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities living in residential housing. nImplications for practice: nStaff narrative competence is crucial to facilitating person-centred care for persons with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities nThis narrative competence can be developed through providing arenas for discussion and reflection among staff nSharing various interpretations of the non-verbal and bodily expressions of persons with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities can contribute to a richer understanding of these individuals, and promote and strengthen their fundamental human rights