Abstract

This research examines the attitudes of older (65+) rural and urban African-American women about the possibility of entering a nursing home. Personal, in-depth interviews consisting of structured and open-ended questions were conducted among community-dwelling elders (N = 98) and their responses subjected to content analysis. Approximately one-third of the sample, expressed positive attitudes about entering a nursing home. Positive attitudes reflected three themes: (1) nursing homes are a good option if the elder's physical condition demands them; (2) nursing homes are a good option if the care is good; and (3) an undifferentiated appreciation for or positive perspective on nursing homes. Slightly more than half of the respondents reported negative attitudes about nursing homes. Their responses fell into four categories: (1) they expressed the feeling that moving to a nursing home would require a big adjustment; (2) they perceived nursing homes as bad places to live; (3) they believed that nursing homes are places where you go to die; and (4) some elders described an undifferentiated but generalized resistance to entering a nursing home. The remainder of the sample (about one in seven elders) offered assessments of nursing homes (either positive or negative) that were dependent on their family's circumstances. Residential differences were observed in both positive and negative categories. These findings lend further evidence to the proposition that residential context shapes perceptions of long-term care choices and raises questions about the degree to which entering a nursing home is perceived as negative, particularly among African-Americans.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)27-47
Number of pages21
JournalJournal of Aging Studies
Volume11
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 1997

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Issues, ethics and legal aspects
  • Health Policy

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