Predictors of family involvement in residential Long-Term care

While much of the gerontological literature emphasizes the institutionalization of an older adult as an endpoint of family care, research has emerged illustrating the continued involvement of family members in the lives of residents. The purpose of the present study was to determine how resident setting, family context, resident background, staff background, and resident function influence the provision of family involvement in three long-term care environments: nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and family care homes. Five nursing homes, five assisted living facilities, and 16 family care homes and residents (N= 112) in the state of Kentucky were randomly selected. Results showed that type of facility was less important in accounting for different dimensions of family involvement than family context, family orientation of facilities, or resident need. The findings demonstrate the complex process of family involvement across the long-term care landscape, and have several research and practice implications for the facilitation of family integration in residential long-term care.