Visitors' views on residental homes

Relatives and other people who visit residential care homes have an opportunity to formulate their own views about the quality of care, often over a considerable period of time. They may be experienced in providing care themselves, and many have been the principal carer before admission of the resident. They can be decision makers in purchasing care, and their preferences will therefore influence the market. Finally, through their frequent attendance, they too form part of the environment of a home. This paper reports the findings of a survey of 228 visitors to 17 residential care homes throughout England. It shows who the visitors were, what they did, their likes, dislikes and ideas for improvements. It summarizes what aspects were most important to visitors, many of whom were former carers; this has implications for purchasers and providers of residential care. It closes with a methodological discussion about how the valuable views of visitors may be tapped without encountering reticence due to guilt or fear of retribution affecting the resident.