Ohio Department of Aging
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 4, 2007
COLUMBUS - The Ohio Department of Aging today announced that it has selected Vital Research, LLC, to conduct in-person satisfaction surveys with residents of the state's nearly 1,000 nursing facilities and 550 licensed residential care facilities (also known as assisted living). Surveys will be conducted throughout the summer and early fall, and results will be added to the department's Long-term Care Consumer Guide Web site (www.ltcohio.org) by January.
"Few people know better about the quality of care provided in nursing homes and assisted living facilities than the people who live there," said Barbara E. Riley, director of the Department of Aging. "Not only does this survey help individuals and family members who may be making a very difficult decision about long-term care get information from those who know, but it also gives residents a very noticeable voice. When administrators, workers, residents and family members all communicate, quality is the result."
The satisfaction surveys, developed by researchers at Scripps Gerontology Center and the Margaret Blenkner Research Institute, under contract with the Department of Aging, cover topics such as activities, administration, admissions, choice, environment and general satisfaction. Customer satisfaction ratings will join family satisfaction ratings, Ohio Department of Health inspection data and facility-entered details on the Consumer Guide.
This effort is the first such statewide survey of assisted living resident satisfaction in the nation.
As with the nursing home family satisfaction survey conducted last year, nursing facilities scoring an above average overall score on this year's survey will be eligible for a quality incentive point in the Medicaid reimbursement formula. In addition, nursing homes signing up with the Advancing Excellence in America's Nursing Homes campaign (www.nhqualitycampaign.org) will be able to use the survey toward meeting one of the key goals identified by the campaign to improve quality in nursing homes.
The Department of Aging selected Vital Research, LLC, a national leader in research design, survey development, qualitative and quantitative data analysis and interpretation, through a competitive bid process. The Los Angeles-based company will hire and train Ohio residents as survey takers and will work with local facility administrators to schedule surveys and select a representative sample of residents.
About the Long-term Care Consumer Guide
The Ohio Long-term Care Consumer Guide, available online at www.ltcohio.org, is managed by the Office of the State Long-term Care Ombudsman and provides information about nursing homes and assisted living facilities to help consumers, family members and professionals search for the appropriate facility to meet an individual's needs. Consumers can search for and compare facilities by location, name, services and more.
About ODA
The Ohio Department of Aging serves and represents two million Ohioans age 60 and older. The Department advocates for the needs of all older citizens, with an emphasis on improving the quality of life for older Ohioans, helping them live active, healthy and independent lives, and promoting positive attitudes toward aging and older people. The Department provides services to older Ohioans through 12 area agencies on aging, home- and community-based Medicaid waiver programs such as PASSPORT, the long-term care ombudsman and the Golden Buckeye Card. For more information, visit www.goldenbuckeye.com.
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Ohio Department of Aging