2021 Volume 9 Issue 2 Pages 20-30
Purpose：Although the Japanese government has expanded its Elderly Housing with Care Services （EHCS） to ensure sufficient places of death for the elderly, perspectives on evaluating the quality of end-of-life （EOL） care are yet to be examined. The present study aimed to explore factors affecting satisfaction with EOL care for both residents and their families, from the viewpoint of care staff in EHCS facilities without medical staff.
Method：We conducted semi-structured interviews with six care workers employed by EHCS to provide EOL care to residents and their families. The interviews collected information related to systems, equipment, care, and involvement, that they had perceived to affect care satisfaction among residents and their families. Data were analyzed using qualitative descriptive analysis. Information on facility characteristics was sourced from an open website operated by the EHCS registered office.
Results：Factors related to systems and equipment included “manager and staff pursue a policy aimed to make residents feel at home,” and “support for dealing with death, and reducing anxiety about working with medical staff.” Care and involvement factors included “providing a life like spending at home,” “confirmation of hopes and changes regarding EOL for residents and families,” and “collaboration with clinics and visiting nurse agencies based on residents’/families’ EOL care preferences.”
Conclusion：Our results suggest that in order to ensure satisfaction with EOL care for residents and their families, each facility should create a familiar, homelike environment, and confirm hopes and changes regarding EOL. Reducing the anxiety of care staff about cooperating with medical staff, and collaboration with community clinics/visiting nurse agencies is also needed.
