Family Perceptions of Care in a Nursing Home

To study family perceptions of nursing home care 28 relatives of residents were interviewed about their involvement in the care of elderly relatives and about their perceptions of care provided by the nursing home staff. Findings indicated that relatives attributed responsibility for most tasks to nursing home staff but held themselves responsible for monitoring and evaluating quality of care, teaching staff to deliver high quality care, and providing direct care intended to preserve the residents 'self'.