AbstractsEconomics

This study was conducted to clarify the association between activity and personal appearance among 48 elderly, ambulatory, mentally alert, middle class women residing in three separate residential care facilities. Notation was made of each subject???s degree of activity, overall appearance, clothing coordination, grooming habits, and choice of garments. Chi square analyses were applied to each category of observation and between selected grouped variables concerning clothing choices. Observations of neatness of overall appearance and of clothing coordination were both high significant, as was the presence of make-up, jewelry, and well-groomed hair, significance was found in clothing items including housedress, hose, street or dress shoes, and sweater, as well as between two groups of variables concerning garment selection. Active women were more often observed with a neat overall appearance, attractive clothing coordination, well-groomed hair, make-up, and jewelry. Due to significance of data analyses, it can be concluded: There is an association between personal appearance and the degree of participation in the residential activity program of elderly, mentally alert, ambulatory, middle class women residing in residential care facilities.