Long-term care choices for geriatric residents

Nursing home residents have been customarily excluded from participating in making decisions about their own care. However, gerontological nurses have demonstrated that giving residents choices about their daily activities enhances resident independence and self-esteem. Study results indicate that residents in long-term care facilities are not receiving opportunities to make choices about their daily activities as often as choices are made for them. Many of the choice-giving behaviors did not take any more of the caregiver's time. The study assumed that choices about daily activities, dressing, and group participation were important to residents. Future study should include a survey of residents to determine what type of choices are important to them. Residents could be asked to prioritize activities that they would most like to have a choice about.