Opportunity
Validate existing measurements and tools to report on and improve quality of life in aged care.
Project objective
This project will establish the reliability and acceptability of the Happy Life Index (HLI) and will provide the foundation for further predictive analytics to support the adoption of the HLI across the aged care sector.
Launched in 2019, the Happy Life Index encourages providers to measure and publish information on the Quality of Life (QoL) of aged care residents. The HLI measures the QoL indicators that providers can have a direct impact on such as food quality, staff presence, care quality, friendliness of staff, activities and lifestyle, environment & cleanliness, and management.
Currently, there are no sector-wide benchmarks to easily compare aged care services. This research will provide an independent evidence base for the reliability, sensitivity and practical utility of the HLI to fill this void, so that consumers can make informed decisions about care options for their aged, loved ones.
Publications
- Refereed Journal ArticlePublished 16th March 2023Exploring what matters to residents of Australian aged care facilities with the Happy Life Index: comparison of qualitative responses between pre- and mid-Covid-19 pandemic time points
- Refereed Journal ArticlePublished 16th March 2023The effect of Covid-19 related lockdown on aged care residents’ perceptions of their residential aged care facility using the Happy Life Index
