The Factors that Influence the Degree of the Family Contact at Houses for the Elderly

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to clarify by means of interview the factors influencing the degree of the family contacts at the houses for the elderly (HFE).
The results are as follows : of the four basic factors (visit, phone call, return visit, and staying out), the phone call showed the highest contact frequency.
The sub-determining factors for the family contact frequency are :
1) Visit : Firstly, the existence of children, and secondly, the type of HFE.
2) Phone call : Firstly, the type of HFE, and secondly, the health conditions of the elderly.
3) Return visit : Firstly, the health conditions of the elderly, and secondly, the location of HFE.
4) Staying out : Firstly, the type of the family structure before institutionalization into HFE, and secondly, the health conditions of the elderly.
Availability of private rooms affect the visit, and access to a private line affects the phone call. The urban HFEs showed high rates of return visits due to an easy access to transportation.