Purpose: This research applies a stress and support conceptual model to investigate the effects of background characteristics, personal and job-related stressors, and workplace support on direct care workers' (DCW) job satisfaction. Design and Methods: Researchers collected survey data from 644 DCWs in 49 long-term care (LTC) organizations. The…

Assesses the impacts of mastery and social resources on depression and, in particular, whether they modify the link between disability and depression. Results reveal that a higher level of mastery and greater satisfaction with support had significant direct effects on depression and also buffered the adverse impact of disability on depression.…

Examined predictors of stability and change in informal support networks of frail elders and primary caregivers. Data from 1982 and 1984 National Long Term Care Surveys and 1982 Informal Caregivers Survey revealed that changes in network size and intensity of help occurred in response to changes in health and functional status of frail elder, not…

Interviewed 667 adult children with elderly parents to investigate motivators and inhibitors of attitudes of filial obligation. Found that degree of obligation was explained by structural and demographic factors such as distance and role conflict. Associations of predictor variables with filial obligation varied by parent type and gender of adult…

Explored two alternative conceptualizations of transportation opportunity, one based on dependency and the other on expressed need for additional transportation, for a sample of 231 rural elderly persons. It was possible to distinguish differences on the basis of variables related to the older persons' economic, physical, and social resources.…

Examined the impact of family and demographic factors on the frequency of support from family members among a sample of 581 Blacks aged 55 years and above. The findings revealed that income, education, region, degree of family interaction, proximity of relatives, and having adult children were determinants of frequency of support. (Author/BL)

Examined preference of five long-term care arrangements among 1,240 older adults. Respondents most frequently preferred care from relatives or employees in their own homes, and selected moving into relatives' homes least often. Marital status, income, race, and availability of informal support were significantly associated some arrangement…

Examined whether older adults dissatisfied with the amount of social support they had received were more likely to rate their health as poorer than elderly people satisfied with the support they had received. Found satisfaction with support to be an important determinant of self-perceived health. (Author/ABB)

Conducted a longitudinal analysis of life satisfaction scores of retirement community residents (N=91). Results revealed some change but initial and retest life satisfaction scores were highly correlated. Self-perceived health and not being neglected by friends, were significant predictors of initial life satisfaction but not of changes in life…

To identify factors that predict institutional placement at discharge from a general hospital, 367 patients were evaluated prospectively upon admission. Prior nursing residence forecasted continued institutionalization; ability to perform instrumental activities of daily life and the presence of strong community support predicted a return home…

Investigated mental health vulnerability and predictors of mental health among older persons living in a semirural area. Findings indicated that social resources and social integration, along with health and functional status, and adequate financial resources are important predictors of mental health and well-being in advanced years of life.…

Used data from a longitudinal study of elderly which began in 1979 with 534 individuals in rural North Wales to study relationship between social circumstances and longevity. Multivariate analysis demonstrated there is no prima facie evidence that survival is affected by social networks or quality of life factors. However, socioeconomic factors…