The quality of life of elderly persons in care home was studied in this thesis by ASCOT measure. Family care is based on mandate and its strengths are permanent relationships, stability and a home as a living environment. In care home, individual is taken care in the home of the private care-provider. The relationship between private care-provider and individual is unique and close.

Family care can be a temporary or permanent settlement. For example, temporary caring by close relative enables the taking care relative to spend free-time and rest from demanding work. Temporary family care is also a good alternative for recovering after hospital care. Permanent family care of elderly persons includes round-the-clock care and nurture at the home of a private care-provider.

The material for this study was collected from family care units of Eastern Finland by interviewing individuals of family care, relatives and private care-providers. ASCOT measure is new in Finland. ASCOT measure was invented in England to measure the social care-related quality of life. Measurement includes eight sections of life quality related to care or effectiveness of care and these interviewed sections are personal cleanliness and comfort, food and drink, personal safety, accommodation cleanliness and comfort, social participation and involvement, control over daily life, occupation and dignity.The cooperating partner in this thesis was Finnish Association for Family Care.

The aim of the thesis was to collect information about life quality of elderly persons in care homes by using the ASCOT measure. Municipalities are obligated by law to evaluate and secure the elderly persons’ well-being, health, ability to function and self-contained management of everyday routine. Also the use of high-quality measurements and measuring the elderly persons’ ability of function is obligated. Availability of high-quality social and health care services for elderly persons and the possibility to influence the realization and content of the service are tried to be improved by the law.

The thesis consists of qualitative and quantitative experiments. In quantitative experiment, structured interview forms were used. Nine elderly persons, six relatives of these elderly persons and three private care-providers were participated in the interview.

The results showed that life quality of elderly persons was significantly better in family care than without the family home service.