Comparison of the attitudes and activities of homemakers living in duplex and high rise types of government housing projects in McMinnville, Tennessee

This study was concerned with problems of the aged homemakers living in two government housing projects in McMinnville, Tennessee. Data were collected from a majority of homemakers in each of the project apartments (i.e., called the Hi-Rise and the Rebel Hill Apartments). A total of 71 homemakers were interviewed by the Home Demonstration Club members living within each project. The projects differed in that the Rebel Hill Apartments were duplexes and the Hi-Rise Apartments were located in a five story apartment complex. The purpose of the study was to compare the homemakers in each apartment complex as to their personal characteristics, health, previous housing, friends and neighbors, present housing likes and dislikes, leisure time, leisure time activities and program participation, and the opinions of the interviewers concerning the homemakers attitudes toward their present housing and health. Seven independent variables were identified and used as a basis for comparing the homemakers. Contigency tables were used to show the relation between the dependent and independent variables. Chi Square statistical analysis was made to show the significance level of relations identified. Chi Square values which achieved the .05 level were accepted as statistically significant. Computations were done by the University of Tennessee Computing Center. Major findings of the study were: 1. Homemakers in the Rebel Hill project had lived in their apartments significantly longer than those in the Hi-Rise Apartments. 2. Homemakers in the Rebel Hill project were significantly older than those in the Hi-Rise Apartments. 3. Almost all of the homemakers in both types of apartments had some health problems. 4. A majority of homemakers in both types of apartments stated that health did affect their daily living. 5. The Hi-Rise homemakers had no problems with operating or riding the elevators in their building. 6. The Hi-Rise homemakers had significantly more problems with equipment than did those in the Rebel Hill Apartments. 7. The Hi-Rise homemakers were more dissatisfied with restrictions than were the Rebel Hill homemakers. 8. The Hi-Rise homemakers had more friends outside of their project than the Rebel Hill homemakers. 9. Homemakers in the Rebel Hill Apartments had more friends in other apartments than did the Hi-Rise homemakers. 10. A higher percentage of the Rebel Hill than of the Hi-Rise homemakers preferred living with neighbors their own age. 11. A higher percentage of the Hi-Rise than of the Rebel Hill homemakers disliked having close neighbors. 12. A higher percentage of the Rebel Hill than of the Hi-Rise homemakers liked to visit and entertain friends in their leisure time. 13. Homemakers from both projects felt that their apartment was convenient to live in. 14. The Hi-Rise homemakers felt less secure in their apartments than did those in Rebel Hill. 15. A higher percentage of the homemakers in the Hi-Rise than in Rebel Hill Apartments disliked having people around them in their apartments. 16. A significantly larger percentage of the Rebel Hill than of the Hi-Rise homemakers felt they did have enough to do. 17. A higher percentage of the homemakers in the Rebel Hill than in the Hi-Rise Apartments liked their pleasant surroundings. 18. The Rebel Hill homemakers felt they had better ventilation in their apartments than did the Hi-Rise homemakers. 19. Homemakers in the Hi-Rise Apartments had more observation portholes in their apartments than the Rebel Hill homemakers. 20. Homemakers from both types of apartments agreed that this type of housing was a good solution to the problem of housing for the aged. Regarding general attitudes toward living in the apartments, interviewers felt both groups had "good" to "excellent" attitudes. Implications and recommendations also were made.