Research with real impact: CFI referenced in new Royal Commission reports

Research led by the Caring Futures Institute was referenced in new findings published by the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

The Royal Commission recently published two reports by the National Ageing Research Institute (NARI).  NARI, Research Paper 13 – Inside the system: aged care residents’ perspectives and Research Paper 14 – Inside the System: home and respite care clients’ perspectives. 

The two surveys found that only about one quarter of people living in a residential aged care facility of receiving a home care package feel that their care needs are always met, while the vast majority of older Australians receiving aged care services didn’t bother lodging an official complaints about their care concerns.

Research paper 13 presented survey results expressing how people living in residential aged care, including those living with cognitive decline, feel about their lives and the care they receive. A second survey – covered in Research Paper 14 – sought the views of older people who receive home care or respite services.

The surveys contained a series of questions developed by and adapted from the work of Caring Futures Institute’s Better Systems & Health & Social Care Economics themes, Professor Julie Ratcliffe and her team.

Professor Julie Ratcliffe

A variety of questionnaires were used in the surveys including the Quality of Care Experience (QCE) measure developed by a Caring Futures Institute team led by Professor Ratcliffe for the Royal Commission into aged care.

The measure uses a five-point Likert response scale to assess quality of care in aged care from the perspective of the Australian general public, older people and family carers and confidence about complaints services. See Research paper 6 – Australia’s aged care system: assessing the views and preferences of the general public for quality of care and future funding.

Another was the Consumer Choice Index-6D (CCI-6D) an instrument designed to capture performance of long-term care facilities across six quality of care dimensions that are important to residents and their families.

The instrument was developed in 2017 during a Flinders research study by Dr Rachel Milte and Prof Ratcliffe.

The achievements shows the work of the Caring Futures Institute is a real driving force in helping to lead the change and reform in Australia’s aged care sector.

Royal Commission into aged care hits final stretch

The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety has heard its final submissions from Counsel Assisting on October 22 and 23.

The recommendations of the Royal Commission are due to be handed down in February 2021.

Interested parties cam make written submissions in response to Counsel Assisting’s final submissions before 12 November.

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