Quality of Life Versus Quality of Care: Implications for People and Programs

Abstract

Abstract The authors focus on the differences between a quality of care and a quality of life approach to services and supports for persons with intellectual disabilities. They distinguish between quality of care and quality of life program foci, present an example of how one large agency in the Netherlands converted from a quality of care to a quality of life‐focused organization, and discuss the consequences of such a conversion. They note that organizations that have transitioned successfully to a quality of life emphasis focus on measuring person‐referenced outcomes related to personal experiences and circumstances that reflect an increase in the person's independence, productivity, community integration, and satisfaction. The authors conclude that in the future more agencies and organizations will move from a quality of care to a quality of life‐oriented service and supports system and suggest a number of fundamental principles and change strategies that could facilitate this transition process.