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The use of restraints in nursing homes has been curtailed in the United States since the passage in 1987 of federal legislation regulating restraint practices. This study used focus groups with administrators and nursing staff in a skilled nursing facility to examine their views of restraints and perceptions of conditions in the nursing home environment that affect restraint use. Although respondents lacked a shared definition of a “restraint, ” they did identify contextual factors that in combination with resident characteristics produced situations in which restraint use was justified. Implications of these findings for staff education on restraint reduction are discussed.

Caregiver burden is a key construct in gerontological research, however, burden measures are rarely evaluated for their cultural validity. This study used focus groups (N = 33 participants) to elicit Pueblo Indian family caregivers' interpretations of an existing burden scale. Qualitative analysis of the focus group discussions on the relevance of the 22 scale items revealed similarities and differences with non-Indian endorsements of these burden constructs. Items measuring the strains created by caregiving within the extended family were emphasized, whereas items reflecting the importance of individual concerns were seen as less important. Findings are discussed in terms of the Pueblo cultural orientation to elder care.

Little systematic information exists on how the older adult reacts to normal physical changes with age. The personal perception and treatment of the aging body are particularly significant given the predominantly negative cultural values associated with senescence in American society. This study used a qualitative approach to examine continuity and change in physical self-evaluation and self-care among a group of healthy men and women in their fifties and seventies. Focused interviews were conducted to identify the evaluative criteria that these individuals apply to the aging body and the behavioral outcomes of the self-assessment process. Analysis focused on sex differences, perception of personal control over health and well-being, continuity of approach to the body, and the perception of time left to live. Findings highlighted personal and social resources and common behavioral strategies employed by older persons in managing the aging physical self.