Principles of good care for long-term care facilities.
BACKGROUND
The International Psychogeriatric Association Task Force on Mental Health Services in Long-Term Care Facilities aims to support and strengthen mental health services in the long-term care sector. The purpose of this paper is to identify broad principles that may underpin the drive towards meeting the mental health needs of residents of long-term care facilities and their families, as well as to enhance the overall delivery of residential care services.


METHODS
Principles of good care are extrapolated from an analysis of international consensus documents and existing guidelines and discussed in relation to the research and practice literature.


RESULTS
Although the attention to principles is limited, this review reveals an emerging consensus that: (1) residential care should be situated within a continuum of services which are accessible on the basis of need; (2) there should be an explicit focus on quality of care in long-term care facilities; and (3) quality of life for the residents of these facilities should be a primary objective. We take a broad perspective on the challenges associated with actualizing each of these principles, taking into consideration key issues for families, facilities, systems and societies.


CONCLUSIONS
Recommendations for practice, policy and advocacy to establish an internationally endorsed principles-based framework for the evolution and development of good mental health care within long-term care facilities are provided.
Gibson
Maggie C
MC
St. Joseph's Health Care and Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada. maggie.gibson@sjhc.london.on.ca
Carter
Mary W
MW
Helmes
Edward
E
Edberg
Anna-Karin
AK
D000368:Aged; D032921:Consensus; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000592:standards*; D006707:Homes for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000458:organization & administration; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D011788:Quality of Life