<p> As the aging population continues to increase, the move to assisted living facilities (ALFs) is becoming a popular choice as an alternative to remaining at home. The majority of older adults entering assisted living facilities have one of more chronic conditions that prevent them from performing their activities of daily living, thereby requiring assistance from direct care workers (DCWs). These DCWs are unregulated, and their training varies from state to state and from ALF’s. Hence, there could be an apparent shortfall in the care provided to residents in ALFs by DCWs. Stake’s case study methodology was used to answer the research question about the issues that family members experience with the care provided by DCWs for a relative in assisted living facilities. A gap was identified in the literature that signals the need to have the input of the family members on how care is given in ALFs. Open-ended interview questions were used to capture the issues family members saw with the care their loved ones receive. Data analysis took the form of direct interpretation, categorical aggregation, finding patterns, identifying themes within case, and establishing linkages between cases. The final phase of the data analysis was the interpretive phase where conclusion was drawn. Five main themes emerged after analysis of the data. They were: training for DCWs, satisfaction with care, cultural competencies, expectation of care, and need for improvement. The findings suggest that there are several issues family members have with the care provided in ALFs. These finding could then be used to devise training for the DCWs that are geared to provide adequate care to the residents in ALFs. The implications from the study suggest that more training should be implemented and based on humanistic theory resulting in individualized care with the person focus approach. Well trained direct care workers in assisted living facilities will enhance the quality of life for older adults and preserve the integrity of the assisted living industry. </p><p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PROQUEST/oai:pqdtoai.proquest.com:10681650 |
| Date | 27 February 2018 |
| Creators | Quashie, Zilma |
| Publisher | Capella University |
| Source Sets | ProQuest.com |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
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