Assisted living as a new place schema: a comparison with homes and nursing homes

This study examines how the new place type of assisted living is represented in terms of its visual and verbal attributes and in comparison with the well-established schemata of home and nursing homes. Ninety-eight respondents (with a mean age of 62 years) are surveyed. Results indicate that home and nursing home are conceived in opposite terms, whereas assisted living is represented in between but with more homelike than institution-like attributes, except for its visual representation, which seems to involve rather institution-like exteriors and undifferentiated interiors. Results are discussed with regard to basic attributes of assisted living and possible differences between schemata of newly developing and well-established place types. © 2007 Sage Publications.