Identifying research priorities in long term care homes

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Healthcare Management
• Public Health Policy

Background:

• Long term care (LTC) facilities face challenges with evolving resident demographics and complex care needs.
• Quality of care concerns include inadequate daily support, understaffing, and insufficient funding.
• Evidence-based practices are crucial for informing LTC policies and improving care efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify research priorities directly from LTC decision makers in Ontario, Canada.
• To guide the direction of future research for enhancing the quality of care in LTC homes.
• To ensure research is responsive to the practical needs of LTC practitioners.

Main Methods:

• A survey was distributed to decision makers in LTC homes across Ontario.
• A response rate of 53.6% was achieved, with 134 LTC homes participating.
• Feedback was analyzed to identify thematic areas for research priorities.

Main Results:

• Nine key thematic areas for LTC research were identified.
• These themes encompass care delivery, staffing, organizational structure, funding, standards, behavior management, education, safety, and infectious disease control.
• The findings highlight critical areas needing research attention to address current LTC challenges.

Conclusions:

• The identified research themes provide a roadmap for future studies in long term care.
• This research directly reflects the priorities of those working within LTC settings.
• Future research endeavors should focus on these nine areas to improve care quality and operational effectiveness in LTC homes.