Environmental Scan of Instruments to Inform Consumer Choice in Assisted Living Facilities

A consumer's ability to make an informed choice when selecting an assisted living facility is compromised by the differences in philosophy, services, and accommodations offered by various "assisted living" facilities.

Compiled by Westat Inc., this report examines the questionnaires, surveys, and other instruments currently in use to assess the services and quality of care in assisted living facilities across the United States. These tools include consumer-reported instruments, expert observational instruments, and provider-reported tools that evaluate services offered, the physical and cultural environments, staff issues, activities, social support, and contractual issues.

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Contents

Summary
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1. Background and Statement of the Problem
     Introduction
     Assisted Living Residences
Chapter 2. Study Purpose and Search Strategy
     Study Purpose
     Search Strategy
Chapter 3. Assisted Living Defined
     Introduction
     Differences Between Assisted Living and Nursing Home Care
     Resident Characteristics
     Philosophical Framework
     Aging in Place
     Facility Characteristics
     Services Provided in Assisted Living
Chapter 4. Tools to Help Consumers Evaluate Assisted Living Facilities
     Quality Monitoring
     Consumer-Oriented Information
Chapter 5. Factors Important to Consumers When Choosing Residential Care
     Facility Characteristics
     Staff
     Services and Activities
     Independence and Choice
     Social Factors
     Resident Characteristics
     Resident's Family Satisfaction
Chapter 6. Overview of Instruments Used in Evaluating Residential Care
     Consumer-Reported Instruments
     Expert Observational Instruments
     Provider-Reported Instruments
     Survey Methods
     Survey Summary
Chapter 7. Measures Framework, Gaps, and Overall Summary
     Services
     Facility Environment
     Summary
References
Appendix A. Reviewed Surveys and Tools (PDF File, 700 KB; PDF Help)
Appendix B. Detailed Description of Databases Searched with Results

AHRQ Publication No. 07-0032-EF
December 2006

Internet Citation:

Environmental Scan of Instruments to Inform Consumer Choice in Assisted Living Facilities. AHRQ Publication No. 07-0032-EF, December 2006. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/research/ltcscan/