title: Dependence in the elderly from an interactional point of view: verbal and observational data.
abstract: Dependence in the elderly was investigated from an interactional point of view. Observations as well as verbal data of the elderly and professional caregivers were considered. Samples consisted of 14 elderly people receiving regular home health care (M = 78.9, SD = 6.3 years) and 16 elderly people receiving regular nursing home care (M = 81.4, SD = 7.5 years). Results showed a strong tendency toward independence in the elderly. Sense of control in the self-care interactions observed was higher in the home health care group than in the group receiving nursing home care. Division of the elderly into subgroups with high, medium, and low perceived self-efficacy showed that the elderly high in self-efficacy were more independent in terms of observed self-care. Causal explanations of the elderly's competence and their nonuse of competence were significantly different between the elderly and staff.
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Human Development and Education, Berlin, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Wahl
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over / Q000523:psychology; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D003858:Dependency, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006699:Home Care Services; D006701:Home Nursing / Q000523:psychology; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D009735:Nursing Homes; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012931:Social Environment; D012945:Social Values