Wives of Institutionalized Elderly Men: What Influences Satisfaction with Care?

ABSTRACTThis paper examines, first of all, the levels of satisfaction of wives with the care of their institutionalized elderly husbands and changes in satisfaction over the nine months following the husband's admission to a long-term care facility. Secondly, the paper examines the relationships between satisfaction with care and: (a) the husband's care requirements prior to admission, and (b) wives' physical and psychosocial health following admission. Data are taken from a longitudinal study of wives' responses to the institutionalization of elderly husbands. The subsample in this paper consists of 46 wives who remained in the study nine months after the husband's admission. Wives reported fairly high levels of satisfaction. Changes did not occur over time in overall satisfaction, satisfaction with the arrangements for husband's care, or satisfaction with time for information. A significant decline over time was found, however, with respect to satisfaction with the facility. Pre-admission factors (husbands' need for assistance and wives' perceived burden) showed little relationship to wives' subsequent satisfaction with care. As well, wives' physical health was unrelated to satisfaction. In contrast, wives with better psychosocial health (as indicated by morale, affect, depressive symptoms and social interaction) tended to be more satisfied with care.

Wives of Institutionalized Elderly Men: What Influences Satisfaction with Care? Journal Articles