Evaluation of care for the aged: a multipurpose guide

There is a growing recognition of the need to evaluate quality of care. As the aged are a particularly vulnerable group, often dependent on care-givers for their remaining years, it is important to control related services. An interdisciplinary workgroup prepared a tool which lists cues to be considered in determining the quality of care for the age in ambulatory services, home care programmes, short-and long-term institutions. The cues fall into six domains: physical environment, psychosocial environment, basic personal care, health care, family involvement and manpower. The tool can be used by clients and families for selecting placement for care; by caregivers in choosing or remaining in a place of work; by those administratively responsible for care, such as supervisors, or licensing bodies for controlling performance and policy; and by other involved persons, such as educators, researchers, volunteers or funding agencies for their specific purposes.