Consumer rated quality of care: Consumer Choice Index-6 Dimension (CCI-6D)

With the recent introduction of consumer directed care in the Australian aged care sector, there is growing emphasis on providing people living in residential aged care with increasing levels of flexibility and choice in their care, which is hoped to lead to improved quality of life and wellbeing.

In order to better meet the needs and expectations of residents (including people with dementia) and their family members, it is essential that we understand the perspectives of residents and family members (consumers) themselves.

The ‘models of residential care for older people with cognitive decline’ project team has developed an Australian consumer derived measure of quality and choice in long-term aged care – the Consumer Choice Index – 6 Dimension (CCI-6D). The CCI-6D has been developed to specifically evaluate the quality of care in residential aged care homes from a consumer perspective.

The tool has been validated and correlates as expected with other related measures of resident quality of life and quality of care.

To develop the tool, qualitative interviews were conducted with residents of aged care homes, including people with dementia and their family members to ascertain what characteristics of residential aged care are important to them for good quality care.

The CCI-6D measures six key characteristics of quality care which were derived from these interviews. The CCI-6D can be used by aged care organisations to properly evaluate the success of innovations to improve care from their consumers’ perspectives.