Author: Asha Sinha

Publisher: National Library of Canada

Published: 1981

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9780315061156

The main purpose of the present study was to ascertain the nature of mental health services preferred by the community members in order to deal with the psychological problems of the aged. Specifically, the problem studied was whether people have a custodial orientation or community orientation for prevention, treatment and management of psycho logical problems in the elderly population. The relationship between attitude toward the elderly and preference for the services was also examined. In addition, the study investigated the relationship demo graphic variables have with preference for services for the psychologic ally impaired elderly, and with attitudes toward old persons. The fol lowing three instruments were used to obtain the required information: (1) Psychogeriatric Services Scales (PSS), (2) Old People Scale (OPS), and (3) Demographic Information Questionnaire (DIQ). The PSS was a specially constructed scale which measured preference for 27 different types of services representing 4 main categories: (a) Preventive Care, (b) Improved Institutional Care, (c) Community Care, and (d) After Care. The questionnaires were mailed to a random sample of 300 households in the city of Edmonton. Of these, 69 returns were complete enough for data analysis. The results show that most respondents tend to prefer community oriented services for the psychological problems of the elderly. No one has definite custodial orientation. However, a significantly high percentage (63%) of the subjects have low community orientation. whereas only 27% have high community orientation. With respect to the four groups of services, the highest preference is for Preventive Care Services followed by Improved Institutional Care, Community Care and After Care. As for the respondents' attitudes toward older persons, no subject has a definite negative attitude. However, a considerable per centage (41%) of the subjects have a low positive attitude toward the elderly as compared to those (23%) in the high attitude category. The correlation coefficient between attitude toward old persons and pre ference for services is small, suggesting that the nature of preference may not be predicted from the knowledge of one's attitude toward old persons. It is also found that, in general, most demographic variables are not related to either preference for services or to attitudes toward older persons.