Validation of a residential aged care consumer experience survey, 2019

Objectives Residential aged care (RAC) quality is often measured as part of regulatory compliance. To inform care delivery and service improvements, we developed a consumer experience survey. Methods Validation study incorporating 2018-2019 survey data (n = 1504 individuals, 25 RAC homes) and test-retest reliability evaluation. Results Most of the respondents were women (67%) with 38% of the surveys completed by residents, 39% with staff support, and 23% by family members. Moderate-to-high correlations (0.46-0.84) between individual items indicate the survey is a coherent measure of satisfaction; good inter-item correlation was found across all sections (0.61-0.70) with high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha 0.90-0.94); and moderate correlation for test-retest reliability was found on the same individual when providing an overall recommendation score (individual ICC 0.684). Conclusions The RAC Consumer Experience Survey is a validated measure of lived experience and satisfaction that aligns closely with the Australian Aged Care Quality Standards, affording providers a standardised tool for benchmarking and informing care quality across the sector.