Behavior sequences of long-term care residents and their social partners.
OBJECTIVE
This study examines similarities and differences in social interactions of residents of an assisted living facility and those of a nursing home. Given increasingly popular alternative models of long-term care such as assisted living, the study seeks to identify how these long-term care settings differentially promote dependence and independence among their residents.


METHODS
Data were collected during 256 observations of 64 residents and their social partners at meal times in public areas. Sequences of antecedent and response behaviors relating to independence and dependence in the two different long-term care settings were examined.


RESULTS
Social partners responded consistently to behavior of long-term care residents, and the behavior of residents was consistently affected by that of their social partners. These sequential interactions were not affected by setting.


CONCLUSIONS
Differences in the nursing home and assisted living facilities' stated philosophies of care were not manifested in the interactions of their staff and residents.
Rose
M S
MS
Myers Research Institute, Menorah Park Center for the Aging, Beachwood, Ohio, USA. MiriSRose@aol.com
Pruchno
R A
RA
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D016852:Housing for the Elderly; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D019370:Observation / Q000379:methods; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012919:Social Behavior; D012944:Social Support