P83: Perceptions of Elder Good Care in Nursing Homes: Nursing Aides Versus Other Nursing Home Professionals

Abstract

Background:

There is great concern about the care of the older adults in institutions, especially in recent years. One of the reasons is the cases of elder abuse, not only highlighted by academic and scientific sources, but also by the media. Humanization, respect, empowerment and non-infantilization are key elements to promote good treatment in nursing homes (López et al., 2021).

Research Objective:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the care in nursing homes using the Professional good care scale in nursing homes (Pérez-Rojo et al., 2021).

Method:

The sample for this study consisted of 269 employees working in different older adults nursing homes in Spain (182 nursing aides and 87 other nursing home professionals: nurses, occupational therapists, psychologists, physiotherapists, social workers, sociocultural animators, speech therapists). The employees' evaluations of themselves (their own performance) and their own evaluation of their coworkers in the nursing home (the overall good care in the nursing home) in these two groups of professionals (nursing aides and nursing home staff that care residents) were assessed and compared. T-test were used for data analyses.

Preliminary results on the ongoing study:

The results showed no significant differences between the two groups of professionals when they considered their own performance.

However, statistically significant differences were found when they considered the overall performance in their residency in humanization (p<.001), non-infantilization (p<.001) and in the overall score of the good care scale (p<.001). Good care in nursing homes was significantly perceived as less frequent among nursing aides.

Conclusion:

It is important for the evaluation of good care of older adults by the staff to assess both their perception of themselves and their assessment of their coworkers. Good care is the result of a complex construct in which a wide range of factors converge. Therefore, it is essential to contemplate the most accurate assessment of it. To evaluate and promote good care, it seems appropriate to assess the overall performance of all the employees of the nursing home and not only the assessment that each one makes of the treatment he/she gives to the older adults with whom he/she works.