Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.
This study was designed to consider the available support and help which people in rural communities have access to and to ascertain the extent of informal support networks and the degree of involvement of statutory services together with finding out the problems which old people might have in terms of access to services, mobility, transport etc. At the same time, the study aimed to look at subjective responses to their situation in terms of morale, loneliness and isolation. The study was funded by the DHSS and was intended to inform social policy.
Main Topics:
Attitudinal/Behavioural Questions Contact with statutory and informal help and services, access to community services; subjective responses to the objective situation including data on morale, loneliness and isolation. These were measured on the Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale scale, Original Loneliness and Isolation scales, and a modified Harris Dependency scale. For more details of these measures, see Lawton, M.P., 'Dimensions of morale' in D.P. Kent, et al, <i>Research planning and action for the elderly</i> (New York: Behavioural Publications, 1972) Lawton, M.P., 'The Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale: a revision', <i>Journal of Gerontology</i>, Vol. 30 p. 8589 Several questions replicated those used in Hunt, A., <i>The elderly at home: a study of people aged 65 and over living in the community in England in 1976</i> (OPCS, 1978) Background Variables Basic demography, migration, work history and housing.
Communities were selected on the basis of settlement type to reflect the full range of communities in the study area. Respondents were selected on the basis of one elderly person per household including elderly persons randomised for gender in the smaller communities - 50% of households in larger communities
Face-to-face interview
