title: [Looking for a nursing home for an elderly person: reasons appointed by relatives].
abstract: This study, conceived in order to try to understand the situations that motivate families to place elderly relatives in nursing homes, used a methodological qualitative approach. Data collection was conducted through open interviews. The analysis of the answers resulted in two categories: the placement in a nursing home as a way to meet the elder person's needs; and the search for the best place for the elder to live and keep the bond with the family. Living through the process of placing an elder relative in a nursing home constituted a transition period in which different factors were taken into account and contributed for the decision. When this decision is taken, the family looks for the best place in terms of physical structure, care and social living, with equals and with other people, because it is believed that through visits family and affective bonds can be kept.
authors.affiliation: Depto. de Ciências da Saúde da Universidade Regional do Noroeste do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul. nara.girardon@unijui.tche.br
authors.forename: Nara Marilene O Girardon
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Perlini
authors.forename: Marinês Tambara
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Leite
authors.forename: Ana Carolina
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Furini
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005190:Family; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009042:Motivation; D009735:Nursing Homes