Assessing quality of life in specialist housing and residential care: A workbook for housing providers

This spiral bound workbook will help specialist housing and care providers assess systematically how far a particular setting contributes to the quality of life of residents, and will provide the evidence providers need to make improvements and adjustments. Divided into five sections, the workbook takes readers through the whole process - from planning how the quality of life assessment might be done, to creating an action plan for future improvements. The workbook includes:

• an indication of the resources needed to run quality of life assessments;
• instructions for staff and interviewers;
• a questionnaire, which can be completed by provider staff;
• a checklist that captures the key physical ingredients of the building and facilities;
• an analytical framework which providers can adapt to analyse the responses;
• a feedback form for staff to complete;
• tips and suggestions on how to get the most out of the workbook and the quality of life method.

The research underlying the workbook adapted research instruments initially devised in North America and the UK. It also investigated and tested new ways to measure the contribution that the home and the living environment make to the experience of older age and retaining independence.