Comparing Resident and Family Opinions about Nursing Home Satisfaction | Aging In Action

by Saher Selod on January 4, 2011

Nursing homes routinely survey their residents and family members about their performance. Previously, little was known about how well the opinions of family and residents coincide with other measures of performance, specifically, findings from the state surveys regarding regulatory compliance.

A new study published in the Seniors Housing and Care Journal compares how residents and family members rate nursing homes to findings on the state survey of their nursing home

Researchers from My Innerview analyzed data from two surveys of over 8,000 long-term care organizations annually. Data from a total of 89 nursing homes (located in 30 states), 18 from 2006 and 61 from 2001, were analyzed. Family and resident responses were compared and contrasted to see if their opinions about the nursing home would converge and to determine what mattered more to each, quality of life (QoL) or quality of care (QoC). Then data from the state inspection survey, Online Survey, Certification and Reporting (OSCAR), was compared to the results of family and resident surveys. Three outcomes were derived from OSCAR data: deficiencies in a nursing home’s compliance with health-related standards cited by surveyors, characteristics of its residents as recorded by surveyors, and its organizational characteristics.

Overall, families and residents had high ratings for their nursing homes and interestingly, whether they would recommend the nursing home to others was highly correlated with the compliance measures from the state surveys. Both families and residents believed that staff show respect and ensured resident safety, as well as the nursing staff providing a high quality of care. Both residents and their families were least satisfied with the adequate numbers of nursing staff.

The biggest differences lied in how families and residents rated the specific areas of nursing home life. Residents gave most areas of nursing home life a more positive rating compared to families. Residents were more concerned with QoL issues, whereas families were more concerned with issues of QoC. The families’ recommendation of their nursing home had a higher correlation with the measures of compliance compared to the residents’ recommendation.

Comparing Resident and Family Opinions about Nursing Home Satisfaction | Aging In Action

Let's Kick It Off! - Residents' Rights Week

This year's theme aims to educate people about Residents' Rights and improved dining experiences for residents by highlighting residents' concerns and comments on this issue. Residents were encouraged to think about and respond to the following questions:

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  How can dining services be improved to make your meals more enjoyable?
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  What makes your meals and dining experience positive?
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  What is your favorite recipe? Why is it special to you?

Ms. Carolyn Higginbotham, a resident of the Milton Home in South Bend, Indiana, submitted two wonderful recipes for our Residents' Rights Week cookbook (learn more about purchasing the cookbook below). Carolyn also shared that her facility has recently improved meals by adding a salad bar to the regular menu. She says residents can also order al carte and that "this makes the meals and dining much more pleasant." Carolyn also shared that her favorite recipe is homemade noodles served over dressing and mashed potatoes.
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• PA Department of Aging Highlights Dining Choices During 'National Resident Rights Week' (prnewswire.com)

Resident-Centered Regulation: Achieving Resident-Centered Nursing Home Care Through the Regulatory Process - The Commonwealth Fund

With support from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and partial funding from The Commonwealth Fund, the Rhode Island Department of Health conducted a project called the Individualized Care Pilot (ICP). It used the mandated federal regulatory survey process to motivate and enable the state’s nursing homes to fully realize the potential for resident-centered care inherent in the Nursing Home Reform Law. Read More

Family Council Manual and Toolkit: A Guide for Creating and Sustaining Effective Nursing Home Family Councils - The Commonwealth Fund

The Family Council Manual and Toolkit: A Guide for Creating and Sustaining Effective Nursing Home Family Councils is a practical handbook for family members interested in setting up a new family council as well as a comprehensive resource for more experienced leaders facing new issues or wanting to reinvigorate an existing council. Read More

Nursing homes advised to report crimes to law enforcement

By Wes Bledsoe in the Norman Transcript

Suspected criminal acts committed against residents of long-term care facilities are to be reported immediately to law enforcement, according to an advisory letter sent Oct. 27 from the Oklahoma State Department of Health to all nursing homes in Oklahoma.

The letter was sent to all nursing facilities, skilled nursing facilities and intermediate care facilities for persons with mental retardation. The letter is in response to appeals by A Perfect Cause and the overwhelming support for action by long-term care residents' families, the Attorney General's Office, Oklahoma County District Attorney's Office, YWCA and Long-Term Care Facilities Advisory Board.

LTC Reform: Residents’ Rights Week, Oct. 5-11

LTC Reform: Residents’ Rights Week, Oct. 5-11