Orientation towards living in an old age home: an instrument to predict use of an old age home.
BACKGROUND
This study presents an alternative assessment method for establishing the demand for an old age home among a community-dwelling older population. The instrument, called 'orientation towards admission into an old age home', represents the intensity of the need for admission as expressed by older people themselves. Therefore it is indicative of the 'subjective demand'.


METHODS
Using a longitudinal design (1993-98), the study tests whether a stronger orientation towards admission into an old age home leads to use of an old age home. This assessment method is compared with another method of assessing 'subjective demand', that is by those who have applied for and are waiting for admission. Additionally, the method is compared with an 'objective' indicator of demand, that is, the level of physical impairments and age of the elderly person.


RESULTS
Results show that the subjective demand as measured by the 'orientation toward admission into an old age home' is indeed related to actual use of an old age home. The subjective demand as measured by being on a waiting list is not significantly related to the use of an old age home. The level of physical impairments (the objective demand) and age are sometimes, but not always, significantly related to the use of an old age home.


CONCLUSIONS
The instrument 'orientation' provides us with a valuable instrument in assessing 'subjective demand' for an old age home among community-dwelling older people.
Haken
Liesbeth M
LM
Interuniversity Center for Social Science Theory and Methodology, University of Groningen, the Netherlands. e.m.haken@med.rug.nl
Steverink
Nardi
N
van den Heuvel
Wim J A
WJ
Lindenberg
Siegwart M
SM
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly / Q000523:psychology*; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006707:Homes for the Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009426:Netherlands; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D014850:Waiting Lists