interRAI researchers have recently made important first steps toward developing a new dimension to its assessment systems, focused on the persons' own perspective of their life and care experiences.Existing interRAI assessment instruments are based on the assessors' evaluation of the person's problems, performance and perceptions.  The proposed new assessment instrument will focus on the persons' own perception of their quality of life, in the context of the care setting in which they live.
The assessments will be completed by the person directly, or through interview. 

The domains included are availability of formal care and support, relationships with support workers, ability to participate in meaningful activities, personal relationships, autonomy, privacy, security and safety, meals, environment and overall comfort.  The assessment will initially be best suited to persons receiving home care or living in long term care settings.  The assessment will complement and directly link to the conventional interRAI assessment systems such as the interRAI Home Care and interRAI Long Term Care Facility.  Particular care has been taken to ensure that it will enable participation by persons with dementia in its early and mid-course.  This is an important feature given the high prevalence of these problems - particularly in nursing homes.

Multi-national, multi-setting evaluation of the assessment instrument is expected to commence early in 2009, with completion and release anticipated in 2010.  The instrument development process is led by Professor John Morris of Hebrew Senior Life / Harvard University, Boston.  At the recent interRAI collaboration meeting in Barcelona, Professor Morris stated "This is an important and ground-breaking initiative for persons receiving long term care.  interRAI will be able to bring together, in the one comprehensive assessment system, the perspectives of both service providers and recipients of care services."