The relationship between attitudes towards care and care preferences of elderly community residents in the Netherlands

This study examined the attitudes of independently living older persons age d 65 and over towards informal and formal care on the basis of an eight-ite m scale receptivity towards informal support". Further, the relationship be tween these attitudes and the preferences for care arrangements in various (hypothetical) care-need situations differing in type of care needed and th e expected duration is investigated. Beyond the previous experience with re ceiving care, and individual and social characteristics of older persons, t he attitudes towards care showed themselves to be a strong predictor of the care preferences of older people. The authorities might use the attitude t owards care as a steering instrument for altering older persons' preference s for and use of services in the long term.