Resident-Centered Care in 10 U.S. Nursing Homes: Residents' Perspectives

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Healthcare Management
• Sociology of Health

Background:

• Resident-centered care (RCC) is a key strategy for culture change in long-term care.
• Evaluating RCC success traditionally focuses on organizational outcomes, neglecting resident experiences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore resident perspectives on the implementation and impact of resident-centered care (RCC) in US nursing homes.
• To understand how RCC aligns with residents' lived experiences and expectations for culture change.

Main Methods:

• A phenomenological approach was used for this case report.
• Data were collected from 20 focus groups involving residents in 10 nursing homes that had implemented RCC for at least 12 months.

Main Results:

• Residents perceive RCC positively, noting increased autonomy, feeling heard by leadership, and consistent staffing.
• Findings align with national goals for creating homelike environments and prioritizing residents.
• Residents identified areas for improvement: response time, access to nature, and transparency regarding illness and death.

Conclusions:

• Resident perspectives offer valuable insights into the successes and limitations of RCC implementation.
• Addressing identified areas for improvement can further enhance the resident-centeredness of nursing home environments.
• Incorporating resident feedback is crucial for advancing meaningful culture change in long-term care settings.