Becoming a guest in your own home: Home care in Sweden from the perspective of older people with multimorbidities

• Abstract Background: In line with changing demographics, conditions for older people have also changed. Older people are expected to live and be cared for in their own home for as long as possible. Increasing age also increases the risk of multimorbidity and the need for social services and health care services. Home care, instituted by different laws, is complex and requires cooperation from an older person when his/her home becomes a workplace for service providers.Aim: This study aims to illuminate the meaning of being an older person with multimorbidity who lives alone and who is cared for in his/her own home.Design: This study uses a qualitative design with a lifeworld approach.Methods: Conducted in Sweden in 2016, the researchers interviewed 12 older persons that live alone and receive home care. Data was analysed using qualitative content analysis.Results: The findings illustrate four sub-themes: adapting to a caring culture, being exposed, participation with limitations and being dependent on forced relationships. The overall theme reveals that older people experience a life-changing situation when receiving home care and they become a guest in their own home.Conclusions: Becoming older with increased needs means to disrupt one’s life when one’s private home becomes a public arena. Caregivers need to be aware of the gap between their rights by law and an older person’s experiences of receiving home care. Only then can care be offered that enables older people to have a sense of control and experience their home as their own.Implications for Practice: The findings emphasise the need to view older people as being self-determinant and independent. Older people receiving home care need to be seen as individuals, and their entire life situation should be considered by also acknowledging the important role played by relatives and caregivers.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Omvårdnad (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Nursing (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Older people

multimorbidity

caring

home care

lived experience

life world

Människan i vården

Människan i vården

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)