MEANING OF THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT OF INDIVIDUAL ROOMS TO RESIDENTS OF LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES.
Contributors: Rush University, College Of Nursing.
Published: 1986
Number of pages: 191
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: The purpose of this research was to investigate the range, variety, and meaning of the constructs older people used to interpret the physical environment of individual rooms in long-term care facilities. The specific problem to be investigated was: which characteristics of individual rooms in long-term care facilities are significant to the older person and how are the preferred rooms related to variables that characterize residents and long-term care facilities? A non-probability sample of 103 residents in 24 facilities who met the stated criteria participated in the study.

A free-choice sorting and ranking procedure was used to investigate the bipolar constructs and the specific room characteristics. The participants ranked, from most to least preferred, nine photographs chosen to provide a mixture of hospital-like, home-like, personalized, nonpersonalized, and one and two-bed rooms.

In the overall ranking, single rooms were chosen over double rooms; home-like rooms were chosen over hospital-like rooms; and personalized rooms were chosen over hospital-like rooms; and personalized rooms were chosen over nonpersonalized rooms. The most frequently occurring preferred pole for the respondents in home-like facilities was "homey"; for those in hospital-like facilities it was "neat and in order." "Crowded and cluttered" were the most frequently occurring contrast (nonpreferred) poles for both groups.

Facility type was the most significant variable for several reasons: (1) it had the largest number of significant Chi-square values; (2) the respondents in the two types of facilities differed in their predetermined and personal bipolar constructs; (3) the verbal responses to why the pictures were ranked a certain way differed for the respondents in the two types of facilities.

Personalization was clearly important to the respondents in home-like facilities. Respondents in hospital-like facilities, however, ranked the personalized rooms somewhat lower. In order to avoid the tendency to accept a room as it is, residents need to be shown what choices could be made to personalize a room. Discussions with residents and their families can help individuals choose the most important objects to have in the room. A more home-like environment can be provided when the goal is personalization.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-08, Section: B, page: 3298.

Thesis (D.N.SC.)--RUSH UNIVERSITY, COLLEGE OF NURSING, 1986.

School code: 0591.