Beyond family satisfaction: Family-perceived involvement in residential care.

Aim: To explore perceived family involvement and its relationship with satisfaction and facility impressions. Method: A questionnaire was posted to residents' next of kin from four South Australian residential aged care facilities. Results: One hundred and fifty next of kin participated in the survey. Family-perceived involvement was significantly and positively correlated with satisfaction and facility impressions. Conclusion: The findings of this study add to the limited body of research into family involvement in long-term residential care. Feedback from the family regarding particular aspects of involvement may also improve the experience of long-term care for both family and resident, and assist with the identification of specific issues towards which organisations may target their quality improvement efforts.