Attitudes of different professionals toward the well-being of older adults living at home.

OBJECTIVES Negative attitudes in society toward working in eldercare constitute a challenge to educators and care providers. The purpose of this study was to explore, describe, and compare the attitudes of different professional groups toward factors that are important for the well-being of older adults. METHODS A randomized sample of 210 respondents that included registered nurses (RNs), registered occupational therapists (OTRs), personal benefit advisors (PBAs), and home help assistants (HHAs) was collected from social service agencies in 10 Swedish municipalities. A scale was developed in a six-step process to measure attitudes toward factors influencing elder well-being, and the final 22-item Likert-type scale was called the "Staff Attitudes toward the Well-being of Older Adults" scale. RESULTS Thirty-three percent of staff responded with positive attitudes toward working with elders, and the remaining were uncertain or negative. The attitudes of RNs, OTRs, and PBAs were significantly more positive than those of HHAs. DISCUSSION The scale is practical for use in different professional groups with the aim of exploring existing attitudes, identifying areas with a low degree of prevailing positive attitudes and differences between groups, and evaluating whether attitudes change after staff training.