This ethnographic research study examined three Health-Related Group Quarters (HRGQ) facilities. Health-Related Group Quarters (HRGQ) populations include but are not limited to those residents who live in skilled nursing facilities, long term and in-patient end-of-life care. Residents typically have serious disabilities due to poor health status, dementia, mental illness, injuries or a history of developmental delay. Population turnover is rapid in these facilities, due to high rates of death, discharge, admission and re-admission, rehabilitation and short term respite care services.

The multi-method approach taken included resident and facility observations, an analysis of the 2010 decennial census enumeration, alternative resident list creation, and post-enumeration interviews of selected informants. The research questions were the following: 1) what resistance or blockage to access was experienced by outsiders gaining access?; 2) what were the resident characteristics and limitations?; 3) how often did transitions and turnover occur in the population?; 4) how was the census enumeration conducted, and what problems arose?; and 5) what is the potential for an accurate post-enumeration survey to determine Census Coverage Measurement (CCM) in HRGQ facilities?