Care managers as research interviewers: A test of a strategy for gathering consumer satisfaction information

Care managers from local Area Agencies on Aging, operating Ohio's home- and community-based waiver program (PASSPORT), were trained as research interviewers to collect consumer satisfaction data from clients receiving in-home services using the Home Care Satisfaction Measure (Geron, Smith, Tennstedt, Jette, Chassler & Kasten, 2000). The data for homemaker and home health aide scales were comparable to those collected by independent research interviewers for interrater reliability and showed no significant difference between the two groups. The scores on the home-delivered meals index obtained by care managers were slightly but significantly higher than those obtained by the research interviewers. A slight, but significant, difference was found on the home-delivered meals index, although differences between most individual items were not significant. Overall findings indicate that care managers, when appropriately trained, can collect reliable, scientifically sound data, providing a cost-effective method for collecting satisfaction information from consumers receiving in-home care.