Decision-making in seniors regarding residential social services

Abstract

We focused on the process of decision making in seniors regarding the initiation of using residential social services, i.e. possible moving into an institutional environment. A qualitative research strategy of depth interviews among 14 service users of homes for seniors was used. The grounded theory method was chosen as a method to analyse the data obtained among the users applied in accordance with Strauss and Corbin. The interviews were transcribed and processed using open, axial and selective coding. The results show that the users consider their moving into a home for seniors a necessity when having no other choice. The seniors believe that they did not have a choice in their decision making due to their social situation, their health condition or when in need of an intensive help and care of other persons, especially with no one available to provide them with the above in their natural social environment. The fact is that they had never imagined spending the end of their life in a home for the elderly, moreover they do not consider the facility their home. On the basis of the results obtained, we made recommendations for the practice - more precisely for education of helping profession students, who are to work with seniors. (C) 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.