Older persons' experience of being assessed for and receiving public home help: do they have any influence over it?

• The aim of this qualitative study was to explore older persons' experience of participation in and influence on decisions about public home help/care when undergoing needs assessment and receiving public home help. A purposive sample of 28 home help recipients over the age of 75 were selected. Data were collected by means of in-depth interviews. A content analysis revealed one overarching category: 'Having to be satisfied, adjust, and walk a fine line when balancing between needs and available help'; and three principal categories: Balancing the comfort and guilt – receiving help from the family at the limits of their capacity; 'A necessary evil'– balancing feelings and resources against having no choice but to accept; Incorporating the home help into daily life to gain a sense of continuity. The findings indicate that older persons have difficulties coping and adapting to their new life situation and have no actual influence over the decisions about their home help. The officer told them what was available. This implies a need to pay attention to the frail persons' mental state in the needs assessment and to ensure adequate understanding of information. Further, it suggests that the needs assessment and the home help officer should to a larger extent focus on individual needs as a whole, involve and encourage the older person to strengthen his or her sense of being in control.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Annan medicin och hälsovetenskap -- Gerontologi, medicinsk/hälsovetenskaplig inriktning (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Other Medical and Health Sciences -- Gerontology, specialising in Medical and Health Sciences (hsv//eng)

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

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

Nyckelord

age 75 and older

adjustment

influence

needs assessment

public home

help

social service/care

Publikations- och innehållstyp

art (ämneskategori)

ref (ämneskategori)