Standards Development

Scope

This document specifies requirements and recommendations for the provision of health and social care services for older persons provided by healthcare and social care personnel, irrespective of whether the service is provided in the persons own home or in a care home. The services concerned also include short term care e. g. respite care, enablement, and rehabilitation.

Care services are provided in a variety of settings. While this document focuses on services provided in care facilities and care at home, including preventive, responsive, palliative and end of life care, many of the requirements and recommendations can be applied to the provision of care services in any setting.

 Service provision is based on the individual needs and preferences of the older person to assist selfdetermination, participation, safety, and security. The document encompasses the holistic needs of older persons receiving care at home and at care homes and the workforce, taking into consideration principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion.

This document applies to all providers of care and support to older persons irrespective of size, structure, legal set up, or funding model (i.e., public, private or non-profit).

Care homes, also referred to as residential care facilities, assisted living facilities, retirement homes/ communities, are settings where the majority of older persons often live with complex care needs. They provide a range of professional health services, lodging, food, and personal care (e.g., assistance with everyday activities) for older persons 24 hours/day, 7 days a week.

NOTE In some countries medical care is separated from care and is provided by organizations from the health care sector. When this is the case the care provider needs to have systems in place to provide medical services or access to such when needed.

The document is structured to provide clear requirements and accountabilities to enable the workforce, governing bodies, and other stakeholders to work together toward a common vision for person-centred, high-quality care services for older persons.

This document is intended to be used in quality assurance and improvement, follow-up, evaluation, and development of such services and can be used as a basis for procurement, training, supervision, and confirmation of level of achievement.

This document does not cover standardization of clinical guidelines, medical devices and building codes (engineering and structural).