[The critical life event "admission to a retirement and nursing home" and the problem of self help]

By showing us the admission of seniors to a home for aged people the authors have given a topical example for the explanation that social self-help plays an important role for mastering this problematic situation. The for-life capability of the individual to manage the appearance of living-problems very consciously, the authors remark, represents the new quality of aged peoples self-help in socialism. They refer to the comprehensive possibilities for aged people to develop their personal active potencies and self confidence in a home for aged people. Individual unfolding that depends on the sociable conditions is mainly discussed in two parts of interrogation: What form and idea of aged people does the society have? How do the seniors think about the specific sociable function of homes for aged people? The direct importance of the individual conditions of self-help is emphasized by giving notes which refers to the age, sex, social status and state of health of the aged people in the homes for aged people of today.