Predictors of adjustment to nursing home life of elderly residents: a cross-sectional survey.

Background: Adjustment to a nursing home by elderly residents is an issue in transitional care in nursing homes. Although research on relocation adjustment has been conducted in many countries, adjustment has generally been measured with life satisfaction scales, assuming equivalence between life satisfaction and successful adjustment. Research has not been reported on adjustment to relocation using an adjustment scale.

Objectives: To identify predictors of nursing home life adjustment.

Design: Descriptive study with cross-sectional surveys.

Participants And Setting: One hundred fifty-six residents from seven nursing homes completely subsidized by the South Korea government.

Methods: A structured questionnaire about resident characteristics, relocation characteristics, social support and general facility satisfaction was administered. The facility characteristics were obtained from the facility records. A scale of nursing home adjustment was also used during one-on-one interviews. Multiple regression was used to identify predictors of adjustment to the nursing home life for elderly residents.

Results: The predictors of nursing home adjustment were self-efficacy, self-reported health, preconception about nursing homes, emotional support from staff and other residents, family satisfaction and general satisfaction with the facility. The total explained variance for this model was 60.6%.

Conclusions: Nursing home staff should consider the following four factors in assisting the elderly achieve successful adjustment to a nursing home: residents, relocation, social support and facilities. Social support inside the facility should be fostered to improve nursing home adjustment. Further studies are needed to explore adjustment using a nursing home adjustment scale.