Consumer And Provider Views On Assessing The Quality Of Residential Aged Care

This study explored how people who provide and receive care in nursing homes thought that the quality of their care should be assessed. Qualitative data were gathered from interviews with nursing home residents, their advocates, residents' committees and nursing home staff. Interviews were structured around the seven objectives and 31 standards set out by the Commonwealth/State Working Party on Nursing Home Standards, which are currently used by the government to assess the quality of care in nursing homes. The discussions explored awareness of the standards, how respondents would assess quality of care, and what aspects of nursing home life were considered the most important determinants of their quality of life. This paper will report on progress in the analysis of these interviews.