Meeting the challenges of social work research in long term care

As the number of long-term care (LTC) residents increases, issues related to quality of care and quality of life will continue to be of concern. Research in this area is clearly needed, yet it presents a variety of challenges related to the nature of the institutional setting and the compromised functional status of residents. The social work calling to give voice to those who are least heard and most needy demands that we rise to these challenges. Based on the authors' experiences in conducting research in LTC, three types of challenges are identified and discussed: institutional, participant, and research design. Recommendations for addressing these challenges are offered.