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RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PAST AND PRESENT ACTIVITY OF FEMALE RESIDENTS IN A GERIATRIC HOME *
Author(s) -
GORDON HELEN G.,
McTAVEY HARRIET E.
Publication year - 1969
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1969.tb01173.x
Subject(s) - housewife , medicine , disengagement theory , nursing homes , gerontology , activities of daily living , geriatrics , demography , physical therapy , nursing , psychiatry , gender studies , sociology
A bstract : A study was made to determine the relationship between prior lifetime activity and present participation of aged female residents in the activities of a geriatric home, as measured by the Prior Lifetime Activity and Present Participation check lists. The study sample (randomly drawn) consisted of 30 aged female residents in a selected geriatric home. Their ages ranged from 65 to 95 years. Statistical analysis of the data showed that prior lifetime activity had little influence on present participation of these aged females. This applied equally to career, housewife, and career/housewife categories. The only prior lifetime activities carried over into old age were the sedentary ones, such as reading and sewing. The relation to the disengagement and activity theories of old age is discussed. Implications for the nursing staff are emphasized. On the basis of the study findings, the hypothesis that the aged female resident in a geriatric home participates in a significantly greater number of present activities than she did in prior lifetime activities was rejected. However, the effect of past environmental, social and cultural factors must be considered as a possible determinant in the degree of present participation.