Quality of life perspectives in long-term care: staff and patient perceptions

In the rehabilitation of chronically mentally ill patients, social impairments and multiple disabilities necessitate the use of comprehensive and complex services encompassing many areas of life. It is suggested that quality of life (QoL) can be used as an organizing framework for long-term care. Subjects in the present study included staff and patients from a rehabilitation unit that offers individualized long-term care, day services, inpatient and outreach facilities. Using subjective indices, staff and patient perceptions of QoL were compared across several life domains. Significant differences between the 2 groups were found in several areas, including leisure activities, law and safety, and health. The implications of these findings for long-term care are discussed.