Residential Care of Elderly People: The Consumers' Views

Abstract

ABSTRACT The characteristic features of institutional life can be found in all types of long-term hospitals and homes for old people. They occur in all countries despite radical differences in the structure of health and social care provision. This paper draws upon data from a study of British residential homes to present an account of institutional life from the consumers' perspective. Residents' views are drawn from open-ended interviews with 60 residents. They convey a complex mixture of feelings: gratitude, resentment, resignation, powerlessness, acceptance and dependence. The common expressions of boredom and loneliness reflect a poor quality of life for many residents. A surprising degree of tolerance was shown by lucid people towards those who had become confused. The authors argue that elderly residents are faced with a choice between an unpleasant battle to survive in their own homes and an equally unpleasant enforced dependence in the institution. The views of residents ought to be an important factor in the evaluation of institutional care.