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Social support and psychological well-being of nursing home residents in Hong Kong

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 March 2010

Sheung-Tak Cheng ,
Coty Kit Ling Lee  and
Pizza Ka-Yee Chow
Sheung-Tak Cheng*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Studies, Hong Kong Institute of Education, Hong Kong
Coty Kit Ling Lee
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Social Studies, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Pizza Ka-Yee Chow
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Studies, Hong Kong Institute of Education, Hong Kong
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Sheung-Tak Cheng, Department of Psychological Studies, Hong Kong Institute of Education, 10 Lo Ping Road, Tai Po, N.T., Hong Kong. Phone: +852 9707 8456; Fax: +852 2886 2280. Email: takcheng@ied.edu.hk.
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Abstract

Background: This study sought to investigate the extent to which structural and functional social support promotes psychological well-being among nursing home residents in a Chinese society.

Methods: 71 nursing home residents (57 women, 14 men) provided ratings on contact frequency and emotional and instrumental support exchanges with network members. Psychological well-being was measured using depression, loneliness, positive affect, and life satisfaction.

Results: Network size was associated with well-being, but was largely nonsignificant after controlling for frequency of contact or functional support. Contact and support from staff and fellow residents were consistently related to all well-being variables, whereas interactions with family were associated with life satisfaction and positive affect only. Being able to reciprocate support was also related to well-being in this sample of frail elderly, controlling for other factors.

Conclusion: Interactions with staff and residents in the institution are more protective of well-being than interactions with family members. Even in a society where familism is strongly valued, assimilation into the institution facilitates support exchange when needed.

Keywords

social supportnursing homepsychological well-beingChineseelderly
Type
Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 22 , Special Issue 7: Focus on mental health issues in long-term-care homes , November 2010 , pp. 1185 - 1190
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2010

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