Assessing resident satisfaction and its relationship to staff satisfaction in residential aged care

Abstract

Objective: To describe a method for assessing the views of residents in aged care facilities and present the results of modelling the relationships between resident satisfaction and factors related to the staff, the residents and the facilities. Methods: The first stage involved focus groups and interviews with over 400 residents, with staff and management, and consultations with relevant groups. The self‐complete resident satisfaction instrument developed was then administered, in conjunction with other instruments, in a total of 70 aged care facilities. Results: Whilst satisfaction with staff care was found to have a significant positive impact on all aspects of resident satisfaction, staff satisfaction was found to have more influence on resident satisfaction than actual care hours provided, adjusting for resident dependency. Conclusion: Increasing the satisfaction of residents in aged care facilities appears to be particularly related to attending to the factors which influence staff satisfaction, such as status and pay.