Study location and duration: interviews will be held from January until the middle of March. The anticipated time for one interview is one hour. The interview with the participants from Masonic Pathways takes place in the offices of the residence. The interview with the participants from the “Kurorniy” residence is held via phone.

Procedures that will be used: data are obtained through semi-structured interviews with organisations who agreed to participate in the research. You will be asked questions about the management of the departments of the senior living residence. Ways for conducting interviews are face-to-face in the workplace in the United States and interviews via phone with the organisation in Russia. The researcher, Olga Petrushkova, will be transcribing the recordings. The researcher will have access to the recordings. In five years, the recordings will be erased. Data analysis of the interviews includes text analysis and constant comparative analysis between respondents' responses.

Possible risks and discomforts: there is minimal risk for you. There are not any burdens, inconveniences, pain, discomforts, and risks associated with participation in the study. You not exposed to any laboratory analysis and there is a minimal risk to your health. During the interview, you might feel psychological discomfort. In order to avoid this, the interview is held in the office where no other employees and researchers are involved. Before starting recording, the researcher will talk with you in order to establish rapport. If you feel stressed or uncomfortable, there are available services for counseling in Alma. For example, Alma Counseling Center, 733 West Warwick Dr, Alma, MI 48801, phone (989) 331-4545. For the participants in Saint-Petersburg, there is a a counceling center “Dvizenie”, Kamennoostrovsky Prospekt 50, office 37, Saint Petersburg, 197022, phone +7 812 943 13 82.

Study benefits: there are no direct benefits to participants. Considering the fact that the population in the United States and Russia is ageing, the analysis of management in senior living facilities is beneficial for organisations which operate in the market because this study shows which practices are efficient and which do not work. Moreover, this is an exploratory study. Therefore, the current research is advantageous for future studies in the field of senior living. For both respondents, this study is useful since they can compare different management practices and implement the best practices from the analysis. In the long-term, clients may benefit from the study if the management of these organisations improve according to the results of the study.

Voluntary nature of participation: participation for the research personnel and participants is voluntarily. After you sign a consent form, you are still free to withdraw at any time and without giving a reason. Withdrawing from this study will not affect the relationship you have, if any, with the researcher. If you withdraw from the study before data collection is completed, your data will be returned to you or destroyed. Please feel free to ask any questions of the investigator and/or research assistants before signing this form and at any time during the study. You will receive a copy of this consent form to take with you.

Alternatives to participation: the alternative choice is not to participate in the study.

Cost of participation: there are no costs to you related to partaking in this study. 

Compensation for study participation: other than the potential benefits of participating in this study (described above), you will not receive compensation for your participation in this study.

Data confidentiality: transcripts and recordings will be available only for research personnel. Data will be stored on a transportable flash memory device and will be protected by a safe password. You will not be identified in these written materials. However, by signing this form you allow the research investigators to make recordings of the interviews available to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) Offices at Alma College and regulatory agencies as required by law.

Declining to participate in the study or ending study early: you will not be penalized for declining participation in this study and you can withdraw from study at any time.

In the event of a negative experience: if you have any negative experience during the study, you can contact the researcher, and all necessary information will be provided. It is important for you to understand that Alma College will not pay for the cost of any care or treatment that might be necessary because you had a negative experience while taking part in this study.

Contact information: Olga Petrushkova, petrushkov1o@alma.edu, Alma College, 614 W. Superior St., Alma, MI 48801-1599. If you have any questions regarding your rights as a research participant, or if problems arise which you do not feel you can discuss with the principal investigator, please contact the Institutional Review Board in Alma College at montoyeah@alma.edu. You will be given a copy of this consent form to take with you.

Consent

By signing below, you are indicating that you have read and understood information about the research study titled The Comparative Analysis of the Senior Living Facilities' Management Systems in the United States and Russia and have been given an opportunity to ask questions. You agree to participate in this study, and you have been given a copy of this consent document for your own records.

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Participant signature (or legal representative)Date

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Participant name (or legal representative) printed

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Signature of investigator

Contact information

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Phone numberEmail

Appendix 3