Assessing the institutional policies of sheltered care settings

The Policy and Program Information Form (POLIF) measures the policies and services of sheltered care settings in terms of ten conceptually unified dimensions. The development of the POLIF is described, and psychometric characteristics, based on data from 93 representative facilities, are presented. These data show that facilities providing a higher level of care tend to provide residents with less choice and control. Larger facilities tend to be more selective, to offer more health services and social activities, and to have formal means for transmitting expectations and involving residents in decision making. Sample profiles illustrate the usefulness of this instrument for describing and comparing facilities; additional uses are discussed.