A Literature Review: Quality of Life Achieved Through Quality of Care in Institutional Elderly Care Settings
Open Access
Author:
Schuschu, Megan Elizabeth
Area of Honors:
Human Development and Family Studies
Degree:
Bachelor of Science
Document Type:
Thesis
Thesis Supervisors:
Steven Howard Zarit, Thesis Supervisor Dr. Lisa Michelle Gatzke-Kopp, Thesis Honors Advisor
Keywords:
Quality of Life Quality of Care long-term care nursing home care assisted living care
Abstract:
Due to population aging in the United States, increased life expectancy, and growing occurrence of chronic conditions, it is imperative that greater attention is given to care for the elderly. The ultimate goal of long-term care, specifically nursing homes and assisted living facilities in this paper, is to provide residents with the care necessary to achieve a high quality of life (QoL). Related to QoL is the quality of care (QoC) residents receive. Many researchers have attempted to define both of these concepts, each providing a slightly different perspective on them. While each is hard to define, it quickly becomes clear that they are interwoven in long-term care facilities. Many challenges make implementing quality care difficult, however, some creative individuals are engaging in culture change in order to combat these challenges and improve both QoC and QoL for residents and staff.
