Promoting Family/Friend Involvement in Care Planning in Care Homes: A Qualitative Exploration of the Usefulness and Relevance of an Information Resource

Journal article

Background: The involvement of family/friends in the care planning of an older adult residing in a care home can help to foster person‐centred care. This study explored and incorporated family/friends' views on the relevance and usefulness of a draft information resource focusing on care planning to address and support older adults' needs. Methods: The research team drafted an information resource to help family/friends better understand care planning. The contents of the draft resource were informed by previous research on care planning in older adult care homes, which included a scoping review, a modified Delphi survey and consultations with health and social care professionals. Feedback on the draft resource was collected through remote focus group discussions with family/friends of older adults residing in care homes in England in November 2024. Participants were invited to share their views on the draft information resource and if/how it could be improved. Audio recordings were transcribed verbatim and the data thematically analysed in NVivo. Findings: The views of 28 family/friends were obtained across four focus group discussions. Three main themes were generated: experiences with care planning, usefulness of the information resource and improving and sharing the information resource. Findings depict a heterogeneity in awareness of, and involvement in, care planning. Most participants perceived the information resource to have the potential to raise awareness of care planning and promote family/friend involvement. Subject to changes, several participants said that they would share the document. Some, largely due its presentation, said they would not. Conclusions: Most participants believed that an information resource on care planning would be helpful. Future research is required to explore whether the document leads to increased family/friend involvement in care planning. Patient or Public Contribution: Two family members with experience of supporting a relative in a care home were involved in devising and revising the different iterations of the information resource and topic guide, and in interpreting findings.

Authors: Caprioli, T; Taylor, J; Hamashima, Y; Charles, A; Damant, J

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Wiley
• Journal: Health Expectations
• Volume: 29
• Issue: 3
• Article number: e70715
• Publication date: 2026-06-04
• Acceptance date: 2026-05-25
• DOI: 10.1111/hex.70715
• EISSN: 1369-7625
• ISSN: 1369-6513
• Language: English
• Keywords: older adults; information resources; care planning; care homes; health information