Purpose
This study explored tools to measure service experiences for families of older adults living in long-term care facilities, with the goal of suggesting directions for developing service experience measurement indicators for these families in the Korean context.
Methods
In this scoping review, English-language literature on the service experiences of families of older adults in long-term care facilities published in academic journals from January 1990 to December 2021 was reviewed. The CINAHL, Embase, and PubMed databases were searched. The review process involved identifying the research question; searching for relevant published studies; selecting studies; mapping the data; and collating, summarizing, and reporting the results. This method helped identify knowledge gaps, explore, and define key concepts, and obtain an overview of extant studies’ focus by determining the literature scope. Among 118 articles, seven were finally selected according to predetermined criteria.
Results
Through an analysis of the sub-factors of the tools used in the seven selected articles, the following themes were derived: environment, information and family member involvement, tailored care, respect, and responsive workforce. Concept definitions were clarified and examined.
Conclusion
Measuring the service experiences of families serving as surrogates for older adults who are in long-term care facilities and cannot express their opinions is essential for improving service quality. Developing a measurement tool for experiences of facility service experience that accurately reflects the perspectives of family members of older adults in these facilities in the Korean context is a pressing need given South Korea’s rapidly aging population.