Background: Group norms in engineering education groupwork are usually negotiated in an implicit and often unequal manner. Although it is regularly suggested that student groups can function better if norm negotiations are, instead, made explicit, the social dynamics of group norm exercises have remained underexplored. Purpose: We investigate how…

Surveyed older community dwellers' (n=250) beliefs, fears, and expectations of one day entering a nursing home, and background factors. Results indicated that beliefs regarding care-related issues were more important determinants of their reactions to nursing homes than were the risks their own situation entailed. (Author/ABL)

Interviewed 198 nursing home residents and 34 primary nurse caregivers regarding perceptions and preferences of resident participation in health care decisions. Approximately 40 percent of residents reported being told nothing about their medical conditions; another 40 percent reported being told everything. Concordance between residents' and…

Examined the relationship between the knowledge and attitudes of nursing home caretakers toward elderly sexuality, looking at certain sociodemographic and institutional factors. The more knowledge providers possessed, the more restrictive their attitudes toward elderly sexuality. Education, religiosity, position, nursing education, time in current…

Examined attitudes of elderly acute-care hospital patients (N=264) concerning discharge planning. Respondents varied in their reactions to discharge planning and degree to which they exerted final control over decision. Perceived lack of control was associated with posthospital psychological distress for patients with high levels of internal locus…

Nursing home social workers (n=152) and administrators (n=231) rated relative importance of resident and family psychosocial needs and frequency of function performed or expected to be performed by social workers. Both groups rated as very important needs of support during transition to nursing home, help in dealing with loss, and help with…

While the family and Catholic church remained important sources of preferred support, increased willingness to utilize institutional long-term care was noted. Favoring proprietary services indicated continued negative attitudes towards public auspices and possible support for a multi-tiered service delivery system for the aged. (Author)

Investigated the relationship between death fear, attitudes toward the elderly, and personal anxiety about aging in nursing home employees. Nursing professionals (registered nurses or licensed practical nurses) had lower levels of death concern than nursing assistants, and results also indicated that nursing assistants displayed significantly…

Eighteen diverse Hispanic Americans aged 60 and over residing in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, a non-barrio environment, were questioned to ascertain the attitudes of elderly Hispanic Americans in the county toward nursing homes. A bilingual questionnaire, consisting of 17 questions, was used to collect demographic information, determine opinions of…

In the eighties, elder abuse cases became of paramount concern to policy makers and those working in fields serving older adults. Very little research, however, has examined how the justice system handles cases of elder abuse. In this paper, the results of a study assessing how various professionals recommended punishing those who harm elderly…

Gathered essays from 53 elderly nursing home residents about the strongest meaning in their lives. Most reported family relationships as central, followed by pleasure, and then health. Analysis showed significant differences between residents' and younger adults' types of meaning. Residents did not reveal an absence of meaning in their lives. (RJM)