A study of the behaviour of residents of old peoples homes

Abstract

This dissertation studies the aged in Old Peoples Homes, and aims to draw some conclusions for social work practice. The literature suggests that the aged, especially the aged in Old Peoples Homes, have been a marginal group (P. Townsend, 1962; T. Rudd, 1967; J. Shaw, 1967; M. Meacher, 1972;). The conditions found even today in many Old Peoples Homes suggest that individual needs are often subjugated in favour of the needs of the institution (e.g. in one particular Home I visited it was a common sight to see the ladies sitting in rows before the TV, but sleeping all afternoon - "waiting for tea time" one lady said.) However, in recent years, the aged as a group have been the focus of much attention in New Zealand, with the formation of a pensioners’ association, and with superannuation being a major platform in both major parties policies in the 1975 general election. There is thus some evidence that the aged are becoming something less of a marginal group in our society. Further to this, there have been changes in our institutions due to a growing awareness of the process of institutionalisation. Institutions that are presently being built are far more pleasant places, and the concept of institutions for the aged is beginning to change. Despite these changes, it is somewhat surprising to find that the symptoms of institutionalisation still exist in these new institutions (e.g. the ladies in the new Homes I visited also sat around in much the same way as the ladies in the old Homes). It is possible therefore, that by improving conditions in institutions, one is making life more pleasant for individuals but one is not preventing the process which causes the apathy and withdrawal from occurring. It is my contention then, that these symptoms are not caused entirely by the processes of institutionalisation, but rather they are caused in part by the process of disengagement, a part of the normal aging process (Cumming and Henry, 1961). Both the processes of disengagement and institutionalisation produce very similar patterns of behaviour, and it may be very difficult to measure these processes in research for both overlap to a large degree. Both are characterised by anomie, apathy and withdrawal, and both may be seen as arising as a means of defense against further loss by the individual. But both are caused by very different processes, and thus if the symptoms portrayed by residents of Old Peoples Homes were due to the process of disengagement, the implication is that more than the institution needs to be changed if we are to prevent this process from occurring. It could be expected that both processes would contribute to the behaviour of residents of Old Peoples Homes. But while we have been minimising the effects of the institutional forces on the resident, we have not done much toward minimising the effects of disengagement. This dissertation therefore, looks at the processes in some depth, by means of the available literature, and looks at the implications of the conclusion I draw for social work practice.