Understanding Differences in Training for Managers of Subsidized Housing for the Elderly: A Situational Analysis Approach

Concerns regarding lack of manager preparedness to handle an aging-in-place resident population have been recognized, but few systematic procedures have been used to develop educational programming. In this study, a situational analysis was conducted to test the conceptual framework that training should be a function of both the clientele and context in which they exist. Managers of subsidized housing for the independent elderly (N = 160) served as a sample to help address the question of what manager or environment variables help to understand differences in training. Interest in training, skills considered important in the position, training content priorities, and preferred delivery methods all significantly differed depending upon various characteristics of managers and environments in which they function. Implications for the development of aging-related training for adult and continuing education audiences are discussed.