Lived Experiences Involving Family Decision-Making Processes for Placing Older Adults in Long-Term Care Facilities in Arkansas

Although family members play an important role in decisions regarding their loved ones in long-term care facilities, their experiences have not been explored. Guided by Bowen’s family system and Simon’s decision-making theories, this qualitative study utilized phenomenology. The research question was: What are experiences involving the decision-making process for family members when placing family members in long-term care facilities in Arkansas? Purposive sampling resulted in face-to-face interviews with a sample of 11 such family members over 18 years of age. Data trustworthiness was established by using reflexivity and rich thick descriptions. Member checking was used with participants to verify transcripts and Atlas.ti with open coding was used for thematic analysis. Resultant themes were quality of care of loved ones, understanding financial concerns, knowing basic needs of loved ones, and locating facilities with social interactions. Recommendations include: knowing information about a specific facility to chose the best one, considering how to help families who are unable to pay for the cost of facilities, and holding facilities liable for understaffed employees because it affects the quality of care for loved ones. Results of this study can help lead to positive social by providing a foundation for guidelines for families making decisions about their loved ones and policies that need to be in place to ensure best quality of care for older adults in long-term care facilities.