Consumer input related to monitoring, evaluating and planning residential aged care facilities

New residential aged care standards in Australia, linked to an accreditation process, require evidence that appropriate quality management systems are in place that permit continuous quality improvement (CQI) to be demonstrated across all operations. This requires that aged care facilities adopt a cycle of monitoring. assessment ("evaluation"), action and follow-up ("planning"). A particular example given of evidence of CQI is that "customers are more satisfies"; in addition, it is indicated that CQI activities should be "responsive to inputs from management, staff and,residents". This paper describes the development of an approach by which managers of aged care facilities can explore in detail the needs and concerns of their residents. A comprehensive manual provides relevant practical tools (interview schedules and self-complete questionnaires) and guidelines for their use and interpretation, within a CQI philosophy. As well as its use for internal monitoring and assessment purposes, the manual also provides the basis for longer term planning. A related research project has also been initiated to model the relationship between resident satisfaction in aged care facilities and: i) organisational factors (e.g. size, location and age of facility); ii) staff factors (e.g, number, mix, satisfaction, experience); and iii) resident factors (e.g. age, sex, dependency level).