1. Bern University of Applied Sciences
  2. Social Work
  3. About the School of Social Work
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Prof. Dr. Eva Soom Ammann

Profile

Prof. Dr. Eva Soom Ammann Leiterin IF Psychosoziale Gesundheit

Contact

Links

  • Address Berner Fachhochschule
    School of Health Professions
    Fachbereich Pflege
    Stadtbachstrasse 64
    3012 Bern
You can find more information on the German profile page.

Activities

  • Researcher aR&D Nursing, Head of Innovation Field Psycho-Social Health

  • Lecturer MSc Nursing, Supervision of MSc Theses

  • PhD and MSc Supervision

  • Deputy Head of aR&D Nursing

  • Diversity and inequality in health care, with specific focus on migration

  • Long-term care, with specific focus on old age and dementia

  • End-of-life & death / Palliative Care

  • Qualitative methods & ethnography

CV

  • since 10/2018 Head of Innovation Field Psycho-Social Health, aR&D Nursing Bern University of Applied Sciences, Health Division, aR&D in Nursing
  • since 7/2015 Lecturer/Senior Researcher, permanent position, 80% Bern University of Applied Sciences, Health Division, aR&D in Nursing
  • 6/2012 – 5/2015 Post-doc, 50%, funded by SNSF (research project NRP67) Institute of Social Anthropology, University of Bern
  • 4/2013 – 11/2013 Scientific collaborator, approx. 50% PHS Public Health Services GmbH, Bern
  • 5/2010 – 12/2010 Scientific collaborator, approx. 20% Swiss Research Institute for Public Health and Addiction, University of Zurich
  • 11/2009 – 5/2012 Scientific collaborator and project manager, thematic area ‘diversity and equality’, 30 – 50% PHS Public Health Services GmbH, Bern
  • 10/2007 – 9/2009 PhD research Interdisciplinary Centre for Gender Studies, University of Bern
  • 10/2006 – 9/2007 Marie-Heim-Vögtlin Grant, SNSF PhD research as a fellow, 50%, funded by SNSF
  • 5/2002 – 4/2005 PhD research as a fellow, 50%, funded by Universities of Bern and Fribourg Graduate School “Shifting Gender Cultures”, University of Bern, Interdisciplinary Centre for Gender Studies
  • 10/2021 Habilitation in Medical Anthropology at the Institute of Social Anthropology University of Bern, Switzerland
  • 10/2009 awarded PhD in Social Anthropology, Dr. phil. hist. University of Bern, Switzerland
  • 5/2002 – 9/2009 PhD studies in Social Anthropology University of Bern, Switzerland
  • 11/1992 – 2/2001 Studies in Social Anthropology Sociology and Media Studies University of Bern, Switzerland

Projects

Publications

  • 2020 Special journal issue „Intersections between Ageing and Migration: Current Trends and Challenges“, Swiss Journal of Sociology vol. 46(2), co-edited with Oana Ciobanu, Mihaela Nedelcu & Karin van Holten. doi: 10.2478/sjs-2020-0010

  • 2016 Special journal issue „Intercultural negotiations around dying and death in Europe“, proposed to Journal of Intercultural Studies in December 2014 (co-edited with Alistair Hunter, University of Edinburgh)

  • 2012 Recension of Sieber Egger, Anja (2011): Krieg im Frieden. Frauen in Bosnien-Herzego¬wina und ihr Umgang mit der Vergangenheit. Bielefeld: transcript, published in Sozialer Sinn 13 (2012): 345-348.

  • 2014 Salis Gross, Corina, Eva Soom Ammann, Emine Sariaslan & Susanne Schnee¬berger Geisler: Chancengleiche Palliative Care. Bedarf und Bedürfnisse der Migra¬tionsbevölkerung in der Schweiz. AVM Verlag, München.

  • 2011 Soom Ammann, Eva: Ein Leben hier gemacht. Altern in der Migration aus biogra¬phischer Perspektive. Italienische Ehepaare in der Schweiz. transcript Verlag, Bielefeld.

  • 2011 Soom Ammann, Eva & Corina Salis Gross: Alt und schwer erreichbar. “Best Practice Gesundheitsförderung im Alter” bei benachteiligten Gruppen. AVM Verlag, München.

  • 2022 Rehsmann, Julia, Eva Soom Ammann, Corina Caduff, Tina Braun, Noëmi Lehmann, Gaudenz Metzger, Francis Müller, Bitten Stetter: Settings of dying – The possibilities and limits of ‘designing’ at the end of life. Abstract publication and presentation at the 7th PHPCI Conference, abstract published in: Palliative Care and Social Practice, Vol. 16, 2022, DOI: 10.1177/26323524221119941, Abstract ID: 76.

  • 2018 Soom Ammann, Eva, Gabriela Rauber & Corina Salis Gross: Self-determination in a ‘total social institution’: Death work in Swiss nursing homes. Abstract publication and presentation at the 10th World Research Congress of the European Association of Palliative Care (EAPC), Bern, Switzerland, 24 – 26 May. Abstract published in: Palliative Medicine 2018: 216

  • 2015 Soom Ammann, Eva & Corina Salis Gross: Migrant Dying – challenges for service providers and needs of the migrant population. Abstract publication and poster presentation at the 14th Congress of the European Association for Palliative Care. Copenhagen, Denmark, 8 – 10 May. Abstract published in: European Association of Palliative Care (EAPC) and European Journal of Palliative Care (2015), Building Bridges. 14th World Congress of the EAPC. Abstracts: 114

  • 2022 Settings of dying – The possibilities and limits of ‘designing’ at the end of life. Workshop presentation at the 7th PHPCI Conference, Bruges, 20-23 September (co-authored with Julia Rehsmann, Corina Caduff, Tina Braun, Noëmi Lehmann, Gaudenz Metzger, Francis Müller, Bitten Stetter)

  • 2022 Practices of Sedation: Doing Palliative Care in a Hospital Ward. Paper presentation at the conference Futures Ahead – Translations and Collaborations between Medicine, Social Sciences and the Humanities, Linköping,15-17 June (co-authored with Julia Rehsmann)

  • 2021 Gegenwart und Zukunft des Sterbens jenseits von Corona: Palliative Care in Zeiten der Pandemie. Paper presentation at the Dreiländerkongress Gesundheits- und Medizinsoziologie 2021, Muenchen (online), 4-5 March (co-authored with Julia Rehsmann)

  • 2019 Selbstbestimmung in der "totalen sozialen Institution": Sterbearbeit in Schweizer Altersheimen. Paper presentation in the workshop ‘Sterbeprozesse: Ideale, Begleitungspraktiken, Demenz’. Dreiländerkongress Medizin- und Gesundheitssoziologie 2019, Winterthur, 27-28 August (co-authored with Gabriela Rauber and Corina Salis Gross)

  • 2019 Post-retirement mobilities in seek of long-term care: theoretical gaps. Paper presentation in the panel ‘Post-retirement mobilities, transnational lifestyles, and vulnerabilities: methodological and theoretical challenges and insights’, IMISCOE 2019, Malmö, 26-28 June (co-authored with Karin van Holten)

  • 2018 Doing ‘Mediterranean’ care in Swiss nursing homes: What kinds of knowledge do professional carers need? Paper presentation in Panel 7 ‘Knowledge of and in Elder Care’, SEG-SSE-SAA Annual Meeting 2018, Zürich, 22-23 November

  • 2018 The promise: Negotiations of ‘home’ in transnational care arrangements for the elderly at home. Paper presentation at Research Panel ‘Transnational Care Arrangements: New and Old Mobilities for Care in Old Age. IMISCOE 2018, Barcelona, 2-4 July (co-authored with Karin van Holten and Heidi Kaspar)

  • 2018 Demenz-Coaches: Recovery-orientierte Begleitung von Menschen mit Demenz in der ambulanten Grundversorgung. Invited keynote lecture, Vierter Internationaler Psychiatriekongress zu seelischer Gesundheit und Recovery, Bern, 28 - 29 June (together with Barbara Steffen-Bürgi)

  • 2018 Self-determination in a ‘total social institution’: Death work in Swiss nursing homes. 10th World Research Congress of the European Association of Palliative Care (EAPC), Swiss Session 24 May, Bern, Switzerland, 24 – 26 May (co-authored with Gabriela Rauber and Corina Salis Gross)

  • 2018 User involvement: methodological consequences for research. Symposium at the 1st DGP Conference, Berlin, 4 – 5 May (co-organized with Sabine Hahn, Friederike Thilo and Caroline Gurtner)

  • 2017 Migrant specific services in Switzerland. Paper presentation at Workshop 39 “Ethno-specific, Diversity-sensitive or Equitable: Researching Care Services for Migrant Elders in North-Western European Cities” (co-organized by Eva Soom Ammann and Roos Pijpers), IMISCOE 2017, Rotterdam, 29 June

  • 2017 MOCCA My Own Care Coaching for Autonomy. Presentation at workshop “Changing the paradigm: Service user involvement in practice development, research and education”, Florence Network Annual Meeting 2017, Bern, 19 and 21 April (co-authored with Regula Blaser and Barbara Steffen-Bürgi)

  • 2016 Affordable and Loving. Conflicting Concepts of Care in Long-Term Transnational Care Arrangements. Paper presented at the 3rd International Symposium on Transnational Ageing, University of Mainz, Mainz, 6 - 7 October (co-authored with Heidi Kaspar and Karin van Holten)

  • 2016 MOCCA My Own Care Coaching for Autonomy. Presentation at the workshop „Einbezug von Personen mit Krankheits- und Behinderungserfahrung in Forschung, Lehre und Weiterbildung“, Swiss Congress for Health Professions, Lugano 1 – 2 September (co-authored with Regula Blaser and Barbara Steffen-Bürgi)

  • 2016 Selbstbestimmtes Sterben in der totalen Institution: Die Praxis im Schweizer Altersheim. Presentation at the workshop „Selbstbestimmung revisited“, Swiss Congress for Health Professions, Lugano 1 – 2 September

  • 2016 Migrationsspezifische Versorgung in der Langzeitpflege: das Beispiel der Schweiz. Invited presentation at the workshop “Biographien und (trans)nationale soziale Unterstützungsnetzwerke älterer Migrantinnen und Migranten in Luxemburg”, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg, 20 April

  • 2016 Less professional, but more humane. Transnationalizing long-term care delivery. Paper presented in the Session “Health Mobilities II” at the Association of Geographers AAG Annual Conference, San Francisco, USA, 29 March – 4 April (co-authored with Karin van Holten)

  • 2015 Migrant Dying – challenges for service providers and needs of the migrant population. Abstract and poster presentation at the 14th Congress of the European Association for Palliative Care. Copenhagen, Denmark, 8 – 10 May. Abstract published in: European Association of Palliative Care (EAPC) and European Journal of Palliative Care (2015), Building Bridges. 14th World Congress of the EAPC. Abstracts: 114 (co-authored with Corina Salis Gross)

  • 2014 Challenges in the institutional co-construction of a ‘good death’: migrant dying in Swiss nursing homes. Paper presented in Session 19: “Migrant End-of-Life Care and Rituals”, 11th IMISCOE Annual Conference, Madrid, Spain, 27 - 29 August (co-authored with Corina Salis Gross and Gabriela Rauber)

  • 2014 Institutionelles ‘Gehen’ und ‘Gehen lassen’ im Altersheim: Nivellierung von Diversität oder individualisierte Begleitung? Presentation at MAS colloquium “Das Lebensende und die totale soziale Institution”, Bern, 21 August (co-authored with Corina Salis Gross and Gabriela Rauber)

  • 2013 Caring for ageing migrants in nursing homes: ‘doing diversity’ while ‘doing death’. Paper presentation at Workshop 36: “Care for and by ageing migrants”, IMISCOE Annual Conference “Crisis and Migration – Perceptions, Challenges and Consequences”, Malmö, Sweden, 26 - 27 August (co-authored with Gabriela Rauber and Corina Salis Gross)

  • 2012 Organizing and Experiencing Elderly Care in a Transnational Setting: The Challenge of Dealing with Multiple Diversities. Presentation at International Symposium on Transnational Aging, Mainz, Germany, 26 September (co-authored with Karin van Holten)

  • 2012 Implementation of Naturopathic Methods in Nursing Homes in Germany: Results of a Qualitative Study. Presentation at 5th Congress for Integrative Medicine ECIM, Florence, Italy, 22 September (co-authored with Corina Salis Gross)

  • 2010 Ageing Migrants in Switzerland: An Upcoming Target Group for Public Health Interventions. Paper presented in workshop “Ageing Migrants: Demography, Agency and Welfare”, 7th IMISCOE Annual Conference, Liège, Belgium 14 September (co-authored with Corina Salis Gross)

  • 2010 Familiale Unterstützungs- und Pflegearrangements im transnationalen Kontext – Eine Zwei-Generationen-Perspektive. Presentation in the Workshop “Unterstützungsformen”, 10. Internationalen IRM-Konferenz „Migration und Familie/Migration and Family”, Basel, 11 June (co-authored with Karin van Holten)

  • 2007 How Migrants Experience Ageing: Retired Italian Couples and their Biographical Narrations. Paper presented in Session “Networks and Belonging”, International Conference “Ethnicity, Belonging, Biography and Ethnography”, Göttingen, Germany, 7 December

  • 2004 Italian Associations in Bern/Switzerland and their effect on integration. Paper presented at workshop “Italians on the Move”, ESSHC Berlin, Germany 27 March

  • 2023 Eine alternde Migrationsbevölkerung – was bedeutet das für Angebote im Sozial- und Gesundheitsbereich? Talk at FABIA Fachtagung Integrationsförderung in den Gemeinden, on the subject “Migration und Alter – was braucht es? ”, Neuenkirch, 28 November

  • 2023 End of Life in Nursing Homes: How Diversities Matter. Keynote at Nationaler Palliative Care Kongress, Biel, 22 November (together with Rhoda Moramba)

  • 2023 Gesellschaftliche Pluralität in der Pflege. Input talk at event “Besser altern, besser sterben: Menschliche, technische und spirituelle Ressourcen”, Medical Humanities series “Alt werden”, Bern, 26 October

  • 2023 Welche Palliative Care für wen? Sterben gestalten im Kontext gesellschaftlicher Diversität. Talk at the annual convention Ostschweizer Hospiz- und Palliativtag, Flums, 1 June

  • 2022 Tinkering – Kreativ-interaktive Pflegepraktiken im Altersheim. Talk at the Ageing Futures Research Day, ZHdK Zurich, 14 October

  • 2022 Lebensabend im Schosse der Familie? Lebensentwürfe und Familienbeziehungen von alternden Migrant*innen. Talk at convention “Wo ist Heimat im Alter?”, Paulus Akademie, 4 May

  • 2019 Pflege und Betreuung bei Demenz: aktuelle Herausforderungen und neue Ansätze. Talk at regional network meeting of Netzwerk Alterspsychiatrie Oberaargau (service providers, authorities, interest groups etc.), on the issue of challenges and novel approaches in dementia care, 6 May

  • 2018 Diversität und Chancengleichheit in der Prävention und Gesundheitsförderung. Talk at a networking event of the Canton of Aargau for regional stakeholders in smoking prevention, on the issue of diversity, 5 June

  • 2017 Advance Care Planning – Herausforderungen in der stationären Langzeitpflege. Workshop at the 2017 Conference of LangzeitSchweiz, Zürich, 8 November (together with Barbara Steffen-Bürgi)

  • 2016 Die Herausforderungen des ‘guten Sterbens’ im Altersheim. Workshop at the 2016 Conference of LangzeitSchweiz, Zürich, 3 November (together with Gabriela Rauber and Simona Greco)

  • 2016 Des services spécifiques pour les migrants âgés / Services specific for ageing migrants. Presentation at the Colloque “Les migrants âgés en Suisse”, CIGEV, Université de Genève, Geneva, 6 September

  • 2016 Was ist Migration und (wie) macht sie krank? Talk at Fachtagung Ambulante Psychiatrische Pflege, Bern, 24 June

  • 2015 Informelle Tauschbeziehungen am Lebensende im Altersheim und deren Potential für die Palliative Care. Abstract and presentation at the “Nationale Palliative Care Tage: Wie kommt Palliative Care an?”, Bern, 2 – 3 December (together with Gabriela Rauber and Corina Salis Gross)

  • 2012 Ein Leben hier gemacht: Altern in der Migration. Talk organized by infra Informations- und Kontaktstelle für Frauen, Verein Interkulturelle Bildung und Haus Gutenberg, Balzers, Liechtenstein, 25 November

  • 2012 Partizipation – Schwer erreichbare und sozial benachteiligte Gruppen. Talk at congress “L’air du temps” - Hochaltrigkeit im Wandel, Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Gerontologie SGG SSG, Freiburg, 2 February (co-authored with Corina Salis Gross)

  • 2011 Alt und schwer erreichbar: Best Practice und neue Ansätze. Talk at workshop “Vermittlung von Gesundheitskompetenz und Prävention von chronischen Krankheiten bei schwer erreichbaren Gruppen”, Swiss Public Health Conference 2011, Basel, 25 August (co-authored with Corina Salis Gross)

  • 2011 Migration und Alter: Biographisches Altern, sozioökonomische Benachteiligung und Gesundheitsförderung. Talk in lecture series “Gesundheitsförderung und Prävention im Alter”, Frühjahrssemester 2011, Zurich, 23 March

  • 2024 Der neue Fokus auf Chancengerechtigkeit in der Palliative Care. palliative.ch 22_1: 14-20

  • 2023 Das Sterben gestalten – Wie die Pflege am Lebensende mit Dingen tinkert. NovaCura 8/23: 20-22 (co-authored with Bitten Stetter)

  • 2023 Digitale Hilfe für betreuende Angehörige: Neuenburg setzt neue Massstäbe. BFH Impuls 3/23: 4-6 (co-authored with Claudia Michel, Olivier Descloux und Serge Bignens)

  • 2022 Gute Betreuung im Alter fördern. Das Projekt Betreuungsgutsprachen der Stadt Bern. NovaCura 9/22: 23-27 (co-authored with Regula Blaser)

  • 2022 Betreuende Angehörige digital unterstützen. Blended Counseling im Kanton Neuenburg. NovaCura 9/22: 39-42 (co-authored with Claudia Michel and Mathias Winiger)

  • 2022 Mit der Diversität von Bewohnenden umgehen. Journal Curaviva Basel-Stadt Nr. 2/November 2022

  • 2022 Heimat im Alter – Lebensrückschau und Alltagsgestaltung. de facto Zeitschrift der Bethesda Alterszentren, Ausgabe 11/2022, 4-5 (co-authored with Minou Afzali)

  • 2022 Diversität – einfach vielfältig, oder ist da mehr?. frequenz – Das Magazin des Departements Gesund¬heit, Mai 2022, 4-5 (co-authored with Karin van Holten)

  • 2022 Im Pflegealltag mit Diversität umgehen. frequenz – Das Magazin des Departements Gesundheit, Mai 2022, 14-15 (co-authored with Thierry Meli and Rhoda Moramba)

  • 2021 Who's going to care? Die Zukunft von Palliative Care zwischen Fachkräftemangel und Pflegerobotern. Swissfuture 2/2021, 32-32 (co-authored with Julia Rehsmann)

  • 2021 Narrationen ermöglichen. Wie Erzähl-Räume im Pflegealltag geschaffen werden. Psychiatrische Pflege (2021), 6: 19-22, doi: 10.1024/2297-6965/a000347 (co-authored with Sabrina Laimbacher)

  • 2021 Wenn Armutsbetroffene Gesundheitsleistungen nicht in Anspruch nehmen. Frequenz 2/2021, 33-34 (co-authored with Pascal Coullery)

  • 2020 Demenzgerechte Kommunikation im Akutspital (schau)spielerisch lernen. Krankenpflege 04/2020: 26-28 (co-authored with Samuel Vögeli)

  • 2020 Lebensqualität von Menschen mit Demenz fördern – Demenz Coaches in der Spitex. NovaCura 1/20: 41-44 (co-authored with Sandra Sermier)

  • 2020 Individualität eine Chance geben. Krankenpflege 01/2020: 22-23 (co-authored with Daniela Marchon and Anne Kersten).

  • 2019 Die Pflege der Beziehungen. Ein Blick auf Informalität im Altersheim. NovaCura 7/2019: 23-27 (co-authored with Gabriela Rauber and Corina Salis Gross).

  • 2018 Demenz-Care zwischen Selbstbestimmung und Fürsorgepflicht. NovaCura 4/2018: 53-55 (co-authored with Barbara Steffen-Bürgi).

  • 2018 Die Perspektive der Betroffenen einbeziehen. frequenz – Das Magazin des Departements Gesundheit, Januar 2018: 12-13.

  • 2017 Vom professionellen Umgang mit Diversität. Suchtmagazin 5/2017: 6-11.

  • 2016 Grenzüberschreitende Dimensionen in der Langzeitversorgung. Pflegerecht 3/16: 162-165 (co-authored with Karin van Holten).

  • 2015 Migrationssensitive Palliative Care – Bedarf und Bedürfnisse der Migrationsbevölkerung in der Schweiz. palliative ch, 4:6-9 (französische Version und italienische Zusammenfassung: palliative ch 4:10-15) (co-authored with Corina Salis Gross, Emine Sariaslan and Susanne Schneeberger Geisler).

  • 2015 Integration von Naturheilverfahren in die stationäre Altenpflege. Zeitschrift für Komplementärmedizin 2015; 5: 51-55 (co-authored with Miriam Ortiz, Katharina Schnabel, Corina Salis Gross and Benno Brinkhaus).

  • 2014 Einfach und Naturnah. Die Schwester Der Pfleger 7/14: 658-661 (co-authored with Miriam Ortiz, Michael Teut, Katharina Schnabel, Corina Salis Gross and Benno Brinkhaus).

  • 2013 Altern in der Irregularität. Informationsbulletin der Zürcher Sans-Papiers-Anlauf¬stelle 27, Dezember 2013: 1-2.

  • 2013 Gesundheitsförderung im Alter: Wie erreichen wir alle? Suchtmagazin 2, 2013: 25-28 (co-authored with Renate Gurtner and Corina Salis Gross).

  • 2013 Frischer Wind im Pflegeheim dank Kneipp. Krankenpflege 4/2013: 14-17 (co-authored with Corina Salis Gross).

  • 2012 Die Rolle sozialer Netzwerke beim Rauchstopp. Suchtmagazin 3&4, 2012: 26-29 (co-authored with Corina Salis Gross and Verena El Fehri).

  • 2012 Gesundheitsförderung im Alter: Wie erreichen wir alle? NovaCura 1/2012: 23-25 (co-authored with Renate Gurtner).

  • 2011 Gesundheitsförderung im Alter für Benachteiligte. Gerontologie Information 2/11: 4-5 (co-authored with Corina Salis Gross).

  • 2023 “Manche Menschen brauchen dringender Unterstützung als andere.” Interview in Vivo – Magazin der Lungenliga, spring 2023, 12-13 (together with Paola Origlia Ikhilor)

  • 2022 “Man muss sich selbst verstehen, um mit Diversität umgehen zu können.” Interview in frequenz – Das Magazin des Departements Gesundheit, Mai 2022, 6-9 (together with Paola Origlia Ikhilor)

  • 2022 “Wir sind uns heute der Vielfalt bewusst.” Interview in ARTISET 03/2022, 10-13

  • 2021 Wenn das Ende naht. Wie begleitet man Menschen in den Tod? Science et Cité Brain Snack, 27 April. https://www.science-et-cite.ch/de/brainsnack

  • 2020 Wie Literatur beim Sterben hilft. Interview in daily newspaper Berner Zeitung, edition of 27 August 2020 (together with Corina Caduff)

  • 2017 Lebensende im Pflegeheim. Report in akzent magazin no. 6/17, 16-19

  • 2018 Scientific board member of the 4th Fachtagung Geburtshilfe (midwifery symposium), Perinatale Versorgung von Frauen und ihren Kindern nach Flucht und Migration, Bern, 15 June.

  • 2003 Founding member of Swiss Research Network „PASSAGEN Forschungskreis Migration und Geschlecht“

Memberships

  • Medical Anthropology Switzerland MAS / Swiss Ethnological Society SEG

  • Swiss Palliative Care Society

  • IMISCOE Standing Committee "Families, Welfare, Care and The Life Course" (formerly “Ageing Migrants”)

  • Swiss Association for Gender Studies (until 2023)

  • Swiss Research Network “PASSAGEN – Forschungskreis Migration und Geschlecht”

Language skills and intercultural knowledge

  • English - Professional working proficiency
  • French - Limited working proficiency
  • Italian - Limited working proficiency