The Perceived Control Of Chinese Elderly People - A Qualitative Study In A Nursing Home In Wuhan

The mental health of elderly people is being paid more and more attention with their increasing number. To explore the perceived control and negative label of Chinese older people, this study conducted field research in a nursing home in Wuhan, and the results suggested that: I. The level of the perceived control is declining with the aging, however, older people still want more self-control of their own life. 2, The target of the perceived control is often about the elderly themselves, as they want to deal with their life events as before. 3, Instead of relying on children, the elderly people hope that they could have the ability to cope with life events by themselves; 4, Old people have a clear understanding of their own principles, and they also pay more attention to social responsibility. These conclusions help to understand the aging process and the psychological needs of the elderly, so as to provide significant implications to the attempts of successfully aging.