Three priorities for aged care
Residents speak up
New research has identified three key areas of care that people living in aged care facilities prioritize. The areas of care are:
- Being treated with respect by staff members
- Opportunities for independence
- Management of medical conditions
Residents were asked to prioritize elements of their care experience and to discuss why certain aspects of care were of more or less importance to them. Regardless of individual circumstances, such as their level of dependency, these three areas of care were agreed across the study group.
“While the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety has identified person-centred care as a means of improving care, a key aspect is acknowledging and respecting people’s preferences and priorities, and this research provides a unique insight into what is most important to aged care residents,” lead researcher Dr Kristiana Ludlow explained.
The research showed that some residents prioritized the ability to attend on-site daily mass or walk to a nearby church as being important. They also identified a loss of privacy once they moved to a residential aged care facility as a concern. Some residents highlighted the need for their families to be informed about and involved in their care. Others identified the ability to be self-reliant as important, including the opportunity to do things on their own, such as making their bed. Another group of residents prioritized the need for emotional and physical support from staff members.
Reflecting known understaffing issues in the residential aged care sector, residents identified delays in care provision as an issue contributing to unmet needs and priorities.
Residents told us that staff members were doing their best with the resources they had.
"Residents told us that staff were often too busy to provide certain types of psychosocial care such as engaging in meaningful conversations. Some residents spoke about not being able to access care when needed, including long waits for responses to their call bells,” said Dr Ludlow.
The research was published in the Health Expectations.
CENTRES RELATED TO THIS NEWS
Centre for Health Systems and Safety Research
Centre for Healthcare Resilience and Implementation Science
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Chrissy Clay, Media and Research Outreach Coordinator
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