A new study by the University of Manitoba is asking Manitoba Health to create an online tool to help Manitobans evaluate and compare personal care homes across the province.
The goal, the U of M said Tuesday, is for the tool to measure care homes on medical factors, including the prevalence of bed sores, urinary tract infections, untreated depression, and more.
The university’s Manitoba Centre for Health Policy said it also recommends tracking information on social life in each care home, as well as details about mealtimes, food options, laundry, and other essentials.
“Everyone agrees that residents of personal care homes should receive the best care possible,” said the study’s lead author, Malcolm Doupe.
“How should we measure personal care homes’ quality in a way that is fair, appropriate and consistent?”
Doupe, an associate professor of community health sciences, said decisions about putting a loved one into a care home are often made when families are under a lot of pressure.
“An online report card is a decision-making tool that can help relieve stress by providing timely and critical information,” he said.
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