title: The effects of refurbishment on residents' quality of life and wellbeing in two Swedish residential care facilities.
abstract: This study was conducted to follow a refurbishment aimed at enhancing the supportiveness of the physical environment in two Swedish residential care facilities. Significant differences between intervention and equivalent reference groups were found for quality of life (p=0.007) and wellbeing (p=0.02, 0.01) indicating a deterioration for the intervention group. These results suggest that residential care facilities residents are more frail and sensitive to change than has been assumed. This needs to be considered when facilities accommodating the elderly need refurbishment. It also indicates that interior design features alone have little importance for the care climate in nursing homes.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Care Science, University of Gothenburg, Box 457, Goteborg S-405 30, Sweden. gusfalkh@student.gu.se
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Falk
authors.forename: Helle
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wijk
authors.forename: Lars-Olof
authors.initials: LO
authors.lastname: Persson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life; D012112:Residential Facilities / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden