The impact of ageing-in-place policies on structural change in residential aged care

Abstract

Objectives: This paper reports findings from a study to investigate the impact of ageing-in-place policies on resident dependency levels and to explore the relationship between structural variables and outcome ratings. Methods: The study involved a time series data collection of high- and low-care places and accreditation ratings from both the first and the second accreditation cycles in Queensland (N = 482 and 499). Paired-samples t-tests were also conducted on a sample of homes providing both high- and low-level care to assess changing dependency levels over the two time periods. Results: A statistically significant increase (0.005) was found in the proportion of residents classified as high care living in low-care homes between the first and the second accreditation cycles. Conclusions: The findings suggest that the ageing-in-place regulatory intervention achieved the intended policy goal and homes have effectively implemented staffing and quality control strategies to accommodate the changes.