A Focused Literature Review of Missed Care in Residential Aged Care

Missed care is any aspect of required care that is omitted (either in part or whole) or delayed. Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs) are susceptible to missed care due to a range of factors, including residents’ complex needs, workforce composition, and constraints placed on resource availability. This focused literature review aims to evaluate the current evidence on missed care, including an analysis of the concept, causes, and outcomes of missed care in residential aged care in Australia. Within most of the available literature, missed care is typically considered only within the context of nursing. It is noted that although the nature and identification of missed care were discussed extensively to provide a broad picture of the phenomenon, including possible prevalence and outcomes, they need to explicitly discuss the impact of missed care on residents, families, and other clinical and operational staff. Further research is needed to inform and improve the care of the elders in RACFs, considering this gap in the literature. This review has identified potential areas for enquiry into missed care to inform policy and practice to improve the care of elderly residents in RACFs.