Abstract
The purpose of this study is to clarify the facts concerning the self-determination process of elderly persons regarding admission to a health services facility for the elderly. Semi-structured interviews was conducted with 32 elderly persons and their families. The findings provided seven types of "self-determination processes regarding admission". (1) by one's own decision 【independent decision】, (2) by affirmative agreeing to the given choice 【adapt to the given choice】, (3) by trusting the decision made by the family and following that decision 【entrust to the family's decision】, (4) by abandoning one's own wishes and obeying the family's decision 【submit to the family's decision】, (5) by processing the matter rationally by oneself and deciding to concede to the family's decision 【yield to the family's decision】, (6) by being unable to come to one's own decision and doing as the family decided 【unable to decide】, (7) without having any chance to participate in the decision making process 【not consulted regarding the decision (no self-determination process/completely decided someone else) 】.
