Mapping personal, familial, and professional values in long-term care decisions.

We mapped the values of elders, family members or friends, and professionals involved in a recently implemented long-term care decision, based on 60 in-depth retrospective interviews. The language used to express values by elders and family members was often quite expressive and particular, whereas professionals tended to employ a more abstract and formulaic language of values. Elders emphasized self-identity and environment, whereas for families and professionals health and well-being of the elder were important.