Quality, staffing and standards in Commonwealth subsidised hostels for the aged

This study was commissioned by the Department of Social Security to investigate the quality of hostel care, accommodation and staffing; to recommend methods of measuring the disabilities of residents, and their care needs; and to determine the type and minimum numbers of staff required to provide and maintain care. Three different types of survey instrument were used in this study. The first, a summary of the residents and the characteristics of the hostel was completed by an appropriate hostel administrator. Information was collected on characteristics of the hostel (number of beds, admission criteria etc), staffing levels, hostel expenditure and questions were also asked about the type of social and physical environment in which the hostel operated. The second form utilised two different data sources: information provided by the hostel staff and hostel records concerning the residents surveyed, and the other collected in a personal interview with the residents themselves. The questions covered admission details, demographic data, involvement in activities, satisfaction with quality of care and quality of life, and physical, mental and emotional health status. Sections of the instrument were devoted to both staff and resident perceptions of the resident's health and well-being in order to ensure that one perspective did not dominate. The third questionnaire was administered to a relative or friend nominated by the resident as visiting reasonably frequently. Questions covered perceptions of the quality of care in the hostel, amount of contact with the resident, and an assessment of the resident's health, activities of daily living, satisfaction and coping abilities.

本研究由社会保障部委托开展，旨在调查寄宿照料机构（hostel）的照料质量、住宿条件与人员配置情况；提出评估入住居民残疾状况及其照料需求的方法；并明确提供并维持照料服务所需的人员类型与最低配置数量。本研究共采用三类不同的调查工具。
第一类工具为居民概况与寄宿照料机构特征汇总表，由对应机构的管理人员填写。收集的信息涵盖寄宿照料机构的核心特征（床位数量、入院标准等）、人员配置水平、机构运营开支，同时设置了关于机构运营所依托的社会与物理环境类型的调研问题。
第二类工具整合了两类不同的数据来源：一是寄宿照料机构工作人员提供的信息以及机构针对受访居民的档案记录，二是通过与居民本人开展一对一访谈获取的一手数据。问卷内容涵盖入院详情、人口统计数据、活动参与情况、对照料质量与生活质量的满意度，以及身体、心理与情绪健康状况。该工具设置了专门模块，分别采集工作人员与居民本人对居民健康与福祉的评价，以避免单一视角主导调研结论。
第三类问卷由居民提名的、探访频率较高的亲属或朋友作答。问卷内容包括对寄宿照料机构照料质量的评价、与居民的接触频次，以及对居民健康状况、日常生活活动能力（Activities of Daily Living）、满意度与应对能力的评估。