PHOTO:MALCOLM LEWIS
willing to co-operate. However, psychologists and sociologists look at the picture differently. They BY ROBERT SLATER
Q. 'Are you physically able to bath yourself?' A. 'Oh yes.' Q. 'Are you allowed to bath yourself?' A. 'No.' Q. 'Do you mind?' A. 'No. Well, I might fall, or have an accident mightn't I, and then matron would get into trouble, wouldn't she.' Only a small proportion of the adult population has personal knowledge of the 'atmosphere' frequently to be found in old people's Homes. The rest of the population has been given indirect access through the selective view of certain television programmes, and articles in the Press, presented in the last year. A drab picture is painted; the atmosphere of apathy, of old men and women sitting around the edge of a room with tiled floors, doing nothing all day except going to the lavatory. A few may be reading, whilst others might watch television. Most people visiting Homes for the aged get a uniform picture of boredom and what is now commonly termed
'vegetation'.
explanations for this state of affairs upon which point of view you hear. Matrons and the staff of Homes say that they cannot get old people to be active; that they prefer to be idle ali day; and that most attempts at getting them to do something (such as going on a coach outing, or attending an evening of entertainment put on by the local church choir) are unrewarding tasks, since few of the residents are The usual
depend
14
say that because Homes are often run by exhospital nurses, who are used to the physically dependent patient, the residents of Homes are encouraged to play this dependent role. This feeling?of dependency on staff?to whicb residents' behaviour often attests, occurs because residents adopt the values of the staff: 'We can't bath ourselves because we might slip?We can't have carpets or rugs because we might trip over them?We can't smoke in bed because we might set fire to the bedclothes.' In this manner, say the psychologists, residents begin to see themselves as the staff see them, as physically incapable of looking after themselves properly, and as mentally incapable of deciding for themselves any issue of major or minor importance. A more serious charge is often laid at the feet of matron and her staff1 that the Home is run for the benefit of those i11 authority, not for the comfort of the residents' Easy and efficient administration of the Home i5 facilitated if the behaviour of the residents is a5 similar and predictable as possible. Unfortunately, however, it is too easy to visit a Home for the aged, and, after seeing fifteen old people sitting around in a lounge doing nothing, to come away somewhat horrified, with the firrt1 conviction that 'something' ought to be done aboU1 this. No one really knows what proportion of old people living at home with relatives, or living alone, also spend most of the day doing nothingUntil one does know this proportion, it is unfa,f to be horrified, since this may be a characteristic of most old people with the same social and physical impediments as those to be found ^ Homes. In most of the reasons for entry to a Hontf' there is an implication of rejection by relatives, by society. Only a small percentage of resident' actually want to go into Homes; most do not^ for the age group now being admitted still hav^ familiar memories of the workhouse?but the)
cannot find any other alternative. The element of [Ejection by relatives often seems to play a part ir* the reaction of relatives to the atmosphere of Homes. Sometimes feeling guilty for their action, {^y find relief by criticising the matrons and staff 0r the welfare authority. If the old person does not want to go into a
Home,
and if he or she feels rejected, then entry the Home will be a sad and unhappy affair. H?w is this unhappiness best alleviated? Should an attempt be made to keep the residents as active as possible? Or does the engendered 'apathy' effectively dull the pain of rejection? No one a satisfactory answer to this problem.
jfi?re
^9-lue
dilemma
Acceptance of the institutional way Maintenance of the individuality of the
of life
or
resident is
the value dilemma which confronts anyone who Vv?uld like to establish a criterion for the good Cental health of the resident in the old age institul0n.
who are academically or theoretically in the problem advocate planned activity 0r the residents, and criticise the Home administrators for using institutional pressures to create
People
j^terested
ac
willing to co-operate. However, psychologists and sociologists look at the picture differently. They BY ROBERT SLATER
Q. 'Are you physically able to bath yourself?' A. 'Oh yes.' Q. 'Are you allowed to bath yourself?' A. 'No.' Q. 'Do you mind?' A. 'No. Well, I might fall, or have an accident mightn't I, and then matron would get into trouble, wouldn't she.' Only a small proportion of the adult population has personal knowledge of the 'atmosphere' frequently to be found in old people's Homes. The rest of the population has been given indirect access through the selective view of certain television programmes, and articles in the Press, presented in the last year. A drab picture is painted; the atmosphere of apathy, of old men and women sitting around the edge of a room with tiled floors, doing nothing all day except going to the lavatory. A few may be reading, whilst others might watch television. Most people visiting Homes for the aged get a uniform picture of boredom and what is now commonly termed
'vegetation'.
explanations for this state of affairs upon which point of view you hear. Matrons and the staff of Homes say that they cannot get old people to be active; that they prefer to be idle ali day; and that most attempts at getting them to do something (such as going on a coach outing, or attending an evening of entertainment put on by the local church choir) are unrewarding tasks, since few of the residents are The usual
depend
14
say that because Homes are often run by exhospital nurses, who are used to the physically dependent patient, the residents of Homes are encouraged to play this dependent role. This feeling?of dependency on staff?to whicb residents' behaviour often attests, occurs because residents adopt the values of the staff: 'We can't bath ourselves because we might slip?We can't have carpets or rugs because we might trip over them?We can't smoke in bed because we might set fire to the bedclothes.' In this manner, say the psychologists, residents begin to see themselves as the staff see them, as physically incapable of looking after themselves properly, and as mentally incapable of deciding for themselves any issue of major or minor importance. A more serious charge is often laid at the feet of matron and her staff1 that the Home is run for the benefit of those i11 authority, not for the comfort of the residents' Easy and efficient administration of the Home i5 facilitated if the behaviour of the residents is a5 similar and predictable as possible. Unfortunately, however, it is too easy to visit a Home for the aged, and, after seeing fifteen old people sitting around in a lounge doing nothing, to come away somewhat horrified, with the firrt1 conviction that 'something' ought to be done aboU1 this. No one really knows what proportion of old people living at home with relatives, or living alone, also spend most of the day doing nothingUntil one does know this proportion, it is unfa,f to be horrified, since this may be a characteristic of most old people with the same social and physical impediments as those to be found ^ Homes. In most of the reasons for entry to a Hontf' there is an implication of rejection by relatives, by society. Only a small percentage of resident' actually want to go into Homes; most do not^ for the age group now being admitted still hav^ familiar memories of the workhouse?but the)
cannot find any other alternative. The element of [Ejection by relatives often seems to play a part ir* the reaction of relatives to the atmosphere of Homes. Sometimes feeling guilty for their action, {^y find relief by criticising the matrons and staff 0r the welfare authority. If the old person does not want to go into a
Home,
and if he or she feels rejected, then entry the Home will be a sad and unhappy affair. H?w is this unhappiness best alleviated? Should an attempt be made to keep the residents as active as possible? Or does the engendered 'apathy' effectively dull the pain of rejection? No one a satisfactory answer to this problem.
jfi?re
^9-lue
dilemma
Acceptance of the institutional way Maintenance of the individuality of the
of life
or
resident is
the value dilemma which confronts anyone who Vv?uld like to establish a criterion for the good Cental health of the resident in the old age institul0n.
who are academically or theoretically in the problem advocate planned activity 0r the residents, and criticise the Home administrators for using institutional pressures to create
People
j^terested
ac
