It appears Kansas is doing something right when it comes to its nursing homes.
Although recent stats from study published in the NRC Health reveals that only 23% of adults would put their trust in senior care providers, the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) recently reported an 85% satisfaction rate with quality of life among residents in state nursing homes.
KDADS reported the numbers after taking measures of the quality of care for its residents to examine how to best drive organizational improvements, increase engagement, and garner long-term loyalty. Overall, 87% of Kansas state nursing home residents rate their living situational as satisfactory.
Results of the latest KDADS study that found that a majority (86%) of senior care residents and their family members would actually recommend their care experience to others, further underscoring the disparity between perception and reality of senior care in the US.
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So why the negative perception?
“I think in part because the stories that get media attention are often the negative incidents that occur rather than the day-to-day positive experiences most residents have,” Patty Brown, the commissioner of survey, certification, and credentialing at KDADS, told FierceHealthcare.
KDADS, in conjunction with NRC Health, gathered the results from its sixth annual resident satisfaction survey. Some of the quality of life categories the residents were questioned on included dining experience, security of personal belongings, safety, religious opportunities, meaningful activities, resident-to-staff friendships, respect for privacy, respectfulness of staff, and choices.
Another 84% of residents rated their satisfaction with quality of care in the areas of care of staff, competency of staff, commitment to family updates, attention to resident grooming, adequate staff and rehabilitation therapy.
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“Kansas nursing facilities, like many businesses face ongoing challenges in attracting and retaining staff,” Brown said.
KDADS administers services to older adults; administers behavioral health, addiction and prevention programs; manages the four state hospitals and institutions; administers the state’s home- and community-based services waiver programs under KanCare, the state's Medicaid program; directs health occupations credentialing; and licenses/certifies adult care homes, IDD providers, and behavioral health providers across the state.
“The study helped to reaffirm what we hear from consumers. I think the greater learning is by the participating facilities who receive specific information from NRC Health about their resident population, in addition to support and guidance to help address issues and concerns and ultimately improve quality in their facility,” Brown added.