Mortality, Well-Being, and Control

Elderly nursing home residents were interviewed in order to determine the best predictors of psychological well-being. Results indicated that the most positive well-being was likely to be reported by those who perceived themselves as relatively healthy, had little education, had high perceived control, and perceived little change in control from pre-to postrelocation. Social worker's assessments of residents' health were unrelated to well-being. A follow-up of residents' mortality was conducted 30 months after the initial study. Well-being at Time I emerged as the most powerful discriminator of those who were living and those who had died; only perceived change in religiosity also differentiated between the two groups. Residents who had died had higher well-being scores at Time I than residents who were living. The implications for perceived control are discussed.