Firstly, it’s necessary to inform the participants about the number of visiting surveyors. If there are too many visitors, the participants might feel overwhelmed, so it might be better to avoid it. (Depending on the condition of the participant’s residence, the maximum should be 3-4 people.)
Also, when visiting women who is living alone, it’s necessary to have both male and female staff members as some might feel uncomfortable with male staff only.
Furthermore, if there are foreign visitors among the surveyors, some participants might be uncomfortable. Therefore, it’s important to announce and obtain consent during the pre-check of the survey. (This is a suggestion from our company, and we understand that it might be difficult to implement the above measures. In such cases, please feel free to consult with us as needed.)
Additionally, if there are requests such as “want to see the bedroom or kitchen” or “want to take photos,” prior permission is required. Obtaining permission on the day of the visit might lead to complications, so please inform us about the activities to be carried out on the day within a reasonable timeframe.
Another important point is to obtain consent from the person living with participants if there are living together. There have been cases where the participant withdraws at the last minute due to family opposition, even if they had initially agreed to the visit. Therefore, it’s advisable to include a confirmation item on the recruitment page to ensure that all family members are in agreement.