Graduate Thesis Or Dissertation
 

Material possessions and selected activity patterns of women living in retirement housing

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  • The study was undertaken to determine 1) The types, numbers and status (previously owned or newly purchased) of the household furnishings 2) The types and amounts of selected personal belongings 3) Adequacy of storage space provided 4) Selected activity patterns of a specific group of retired women living in one retirement home. The retirement home selected for the study was Terwilliger Plaza, a 342-unit complex located in Portland, Oregon. The aforementioned information was obtained through personal interviews with a random sample of 45 residents of the retirement home--25 living in studio apartments and 20 living in one-bedroom apartments. Comparisons were made between residents of the two types of apartments in each of the areas studied. The interviews revealed that there was no significant difference between residents of the two types of apartments studied relative to length of time at Terwilliger Plaza, previous residence, age and annual income. Approximately three-fourths of the total group had lived in the home the entire four years it had been in operation. The largest group lived in apartments or their own home for an average of ten years before entering the retirement home. The mean age of the occupants was 72.4. Most of the women had an annual income of less than $5,000. When household furnishings were considered, it was concluded that favored items included in the living-dining area by both groups of women studied were easy chairs, small tables, dining tables and chairs, television sets and table and/or floor lamps. The one-bedroom apartment occupants favored a sofa in this area. In the sleeping area, studio apartment occupants were about equally divided in their choice of single bed or convertible sofa-bed. The business centers of studio apartments often featured a secretary. Some of the one-bedroom apartments also had a secretary but more of this group had desks and chairs. Relative to status of furnishings, it can be concluded that the majority of the residents in this retirement home found it most satisfactory to include furnishings from their previous home along with a lesser number of newly purchased items. If they did buy new items, the items purchased most often were television sets, easy chairs, sofas, sofa-beds and bedroom sets. Personal belongings inventoried included outer garments, bedding, household linens, dinnerware, silverware, small electrical appliances and cooking utensils. In every category, with the exception of frequently used cooking utensils, the one-bedroom apartment occupants owned and kept in their apartments a slightly greater number of items than did the studio apartment occupants. The differences were not great enough to be significant. The occupants in both types of apartments tended to keep hobby and business supplies, coats and other clothes, chests, extra food, extra bedding, dishes, cooking utensils: and ironing boards in the storage closet in their apartments. They stored luggage, Christmas deccorations, extra boxes, out-of-season clothes, chests, photographs, personal and family papers, extra bedding, canned foods and cooking utensils in the storage space provided outside their apartments. Nearly all those interviewed were satisfied with the storage space provided. Selected activities participated in by retirement home occupants were meal preparation, meals for guests, light housekeeping chores, entertaining, hobbies, and volunteer work for the retirement home and other organizations. The findings of the study can be useful to 1) Educators concerned with the aging 2) Prospective "retirees" 3) The building trades constructing retirement housing 4) Interior decorators working with the aged 5) Furniture manufacturers and retailers who design, produce and sell furniture for the aged.
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