Family Involvement and Well-being in an Assisted Living Population Pubblico

Plys, Evan Jamison (2012)

Permanent URL: https://etd.library.emory.edu/concern/etds/gb19f678w?locale=it
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Abstract

Family visitations provide residents of long term care facilities a link to the outside
world, continuity of relationships, and social support (Tseng & Wang, 2001; Thomas,
2001). Previous research suggests that the quality of family relationships may have
greater mental health impacts for older adults than the quantity of family interactions
(Conner, Powers, & Bultena, 1979). This study investigated the relationship between the
quantity of family interactions and the quality of family relationships and their impact on
long term care residents' life satisfaction and depression. Factors influencing the quality
of relationships between residents and their primary family caregiver also were of
interest. Forty-four residents of four assisted living facilities were sampled. Participants
completed four measures assessing emotional bondedness to family, perceived social
support, life satisfaction, and depression. In addition, open-ended interviews assessed
residents' perceptions of family interactions. Multiple regression analysis revealed that
the quality of family relationships better predicted life satisfaction and depression than
the quantity of family interactions. In addition, number of socio-emotional support
activities between family and residents correlated with higher emotional bondedness.
Families who reminisced also showed higher scores of emotional bondedness, suggesting
reminiscing might be a tool for families to improve the quality of interactions with
institutionalized elders. The current study also investigated self-rated health, internal
friendships, and family involvement as predictors of life satisfaction and depression for
assisted living residents. These results have implications for residents of long term care
facilities and their family members, as well as, staff and social workers.

Table of Contents


Introduction …………………………………………………….……………..……. 1
Senior Housing ……………………………………………………………...... 1
Family Visitation Patterns …………………………………………………. 3
Role of Family in Long Term Care …………….……………………... 4
Content of Family Visits …………………….…………………………..... 6
Mental Health and Family Visits .…………………………………….... 9
Quantity vs. Quality ………………………………………………………….. 11
Statement of Problem and Hypotheses ……………………..…... 12
Methods ……………………………………………………..……………………..... 13
Participants …………………………………………………………………….... 13
Procedures ………………………………………………..………………………. 14
Measures ………………………………………………………………………..... 16
Results ……………………………………………………………....………………... 18
Resident Characteristics …………………………….……………………… 18
Caregiver Characteristics ………………………………………………….. 19
Preliminary Analysis …………………………….……………………………. 19
Quantitative Analysis ……………………….…………………………….... 20
Life Satisfaction ……………………………….…………………………..... 20
Depression ………………………………………....………………………….. 20
Emotional Bondedness ……………………….…………………………... 21
Qualitative Analysis ……………………………..…………………………….. 21
Inter-rater Reliability ……………………………………………………….. 21
Responses ……………………………………………......…………………….. 22
Supplementary Analysis ………………………………………………....... 23
Quality vs. Quantity …………………………………………………....…… 23
Life Satisfaction and Depression ....…………………………...……. 23
Emotional Bondedness .……………….….……………………………….. 25
Discussion …………………………………………....…………………………….…. 26
Quantity vs. Quality .…………………………………………………………... 27
Emotional Bondedness ………………………………………………………... 30
Predictors of Life Satisfaction and Depression .………………..… 34
Study Limitations …………………………………………….………………….. 39
Conclusion ………………………………………………………….……………..... 40
References ……………………………………………………………….....……….…. 41
Appendix A …………………………………………………………………….....….… 48
Appendix B ……………………………………………………………………….…..... 57







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