Residential preferences and eldercare views of Hispanic elders.

A cross-sectional, qualitative study was undertaken with a group (n = 10) of elderly Mexican-American men and women in an inner city congregate meal site of a large Midwestern city. The purpose of the study was to explicate: the older adults' residential preferences should they become unable to live in their own homes, and their beliefs about eldercare. Themes arising from the semi-structured interviews include: nursing homes as places of last resort, the desire not to be a burden to children, intergenerational differences in lifestyle, and extended family involvement in eldercare. Implications of the findings for helping professionals are discussed as are areas needing further investigation.