EXAMINING ATTITUDES TOWARD THE HOMECARE SUITE - A NEW HOUSING ALTERNATIVE FOR ELDERS

For a housing option to be viable on the continuum of long-term care, it needs the approval of professional (who would recommend it) and car egivers (who would use it). The purpose of this study was to compare a ttitudes of these important audiences toward the Homecare Suite-a priv ate, fully accessible, modular apartment that families who wish to car e for their elders at home can temporarily install in their garages. R esults showed that professionals were significantly more favorable tow ard the Homecare Suite than were caregivers, whereas caregivers with e lders living in the community were more receptive than were caregivers with institutionalized elders. This preliminary evaluation suggests t hat this housing innovation is deserving of further study.