Proposal For Applying Quality Management Techniques To Manage Welfare Facilities For The Elderly

Abstract

In recent years, the quality of services at welfare facilities for the elderly has come into question and differences in concepts and ways of approach toward quality are affecting facility performances. In the context of quality management, the concept of quality has extended from a mere focus on service to business processes, and now focuses specifically on quality in welfare facility management. Care workers have typically been responsible for the quality of care in welfare facilities. However, as it has become difficult to retain already-trained care workers and also source fresh, competent care workers to provide care for the elderly in welfare facilities, there is a pressing need to adopt measures to find, train, and retain skilled care workers. We propose a quality management model to effectively manage welfare facilities for the elderly with an emphasis on improving the intellectual productivity of care workers in these facilities. This model is centered mainly on information sharing to secure and develop skilled human resources in order to ensure the delivery of high quality services in these facilities. Moreover, in this model, it is conditional that CS, ES, SS are met under stable management and environment that same quality and optimal services are offered. Further, we report examples of the application of this model and its effectiveness.