Family Satisfaction: Differences Between Nursing Homes and Residential Care Facilities

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Health Services Research
• Sociology of Aging

Background:

• Family satisfaction is a critical indicator of long-term care quality.
• Nursing homes (NHs) and residential care facilities (RCFs) provide distinct care settings.
• Understanding factors influencing family satisfaction in different long-term care settings is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare overall family satisfaction between NHs and RCFs.
• To examine specific satisfaction domains and correlates of satisfaction in NHs versus RCFs.
• To identify factors influencing family satisfaction within these distinct long-term care environments.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the 2016 Ohio Long-Term Care Family Satisfaction Survey.
• Compared family satisfaction levels and associated variables between nursing homes and residential care facilities.
• Analyzed demographic, facility, and care-related factors influencing satisfaction.

Main Results:

• Overall family satisfaction was higher in RCFs compared to NHs, particularly in the environment domain.
• Higher satisfaction in both settings was linked to respondent gender (male), older age, White race, less frequent visitation, longer anticipated stay, less help during visits, smaller facility size, lower Medicaid reliance, and nonprofit status.
• Resident age, visitation frequency, perceived assistance needs, and kinship ties showed differential relationships with satisfaction between facility types.

Conclusions:

• Residential care facilities generally provide a superior family satisfaction experience compared to nursing homes, especially concerning the living environment.
• Nursing home administrators should prioritize improving the facility environment and the resident move-in process.
• All long-term care administrators should focus on resident engagement and acknowledge how resident and family characteristics impact satisfaction.