The Family and Dependency

This research investigated the planning by family members for the institutionalization of their elderly relatives. Institutional decision-making was conceptualized as having four stages: recognition; discussion; implementation; and placement. The key question explored was what are the most salient structural and dynamic factors associated with the first three stages of institutional decision-making, and do these critical factors vary with each stage. Multivariate analyses revealed that both sets of variables make independent contributions to the prediction of the caregiver's involvement in each stage of decision-making. The implications of the findings for future research and practice are discussed.