Adjustment to Nursing Home Life

Throughout life, people experience many transitions, but one transition that can be particularly difficult is moving into a nursing home or long-term care facility. Many elders living within these institutions do not want to live there, but a decline in health, finances, or a lack of support system has led them to their new inhabitancy. Some elders might find that adjusting to a new environment can be very challenging. Upon entering a nursing home, an elder might already be dealing difficult situations in life, and now they face the additional challenge of having to adjust to a new environment. One might experience a variety of emotions during this time. Depression can be one of those emotions. This study examined the depression scores of elders who resided in a rural Kansas nursing home for at least 1 year of admittance.