ELDERS DECISION-MAKING REGARDING THE USE OF LONG-TERM-CARE SERVICES -A PRECARIOUS BALANCE

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore factors that infl uenced decision making regarding the use and nonuse of long-term cave services, with a particular focus on elders' attitudes, values, and be liefs. The sample (N = 27) consisted of high-functional elders recentl y admitted to nursing homes and community-dwelling, high-risk elders r ecently diverted from nursing homes following a prescreening program. Data were collected through in-depth, face-to-face, semistructured int erviews and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Independence and sense of self were the strongest values to emerge. The attitude of acceptance, both passive and active, helped elders cope with increasi ng levels of dependency and lifestyle changes. The desire to be part o f decisions, both major life planning and day-today choices such as me al planning, was pervasive. Decision making was individualistic and co mplex. Loss of control was threatening to the sense of self, leaving s ome elders feeling shortchanged.