Care Goal Setting and Associated Factors: Semistructured Interviews with Multidisciplinary Care Providers in Facilities for Elderly People

Background: The purpose of this study was to identify care goals set by care providers, their associated factors, and assess the process of care goal setting in facilities for elderly people. Methods: Semistructured interviews were conducted with care providers (e.g., physicians, nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, care managers, caregivers), and responses were qualitatively analyzed and categorized by content. Results: A total of 30 care providers from seven facilities were interviewed. Six themes emerged pertaining to care goals for elderly residents. “Daily care goals” and “long-term care goals” reflected the conditions of residents and their care goals. “Staff awareness of residents and work”, “relationships among care providers”, and “relationships between care providers and families of residents” influenced care goals. The categories “difficulty of setting care goals”, “difficulty of evaluation”, and “hesitancy in getting involved” were reflected in “conflicts and complaints about ideal care and the feasibility of setting goals”. Conclusion: Care providers were conflicted in care goal setting given the coexistence of long- and short-term care goals, both of which were influenced by several factors. In addition to the health conditions of residents, personnel structure and relationships among care providers and families affected the process of care goal setting