There is ample evidence that older people do differ substantially in their values and preferences – and in ways which have practical relevance to services. There is evidence too that they can often readily discuss their values and preferences with social care staff and can compare, rate and rank the importance of different preferences. Standard forms and procedures can be devised whereby service staff can gain such information from older people. Social care staff can be influenced by information on older people’s preferences so that, sometimes at least, they can adjust services to suit individuals. On all these counts there is clear support for the practicability of a person-centred approach to home care, which seeks to adapt to the values and preferences of each individual.
There is ample evidence that older people do differ substantially in their values and preferences – and in ways which have practical relevance to services. There is evidence too that they can often readily discuss their values and preferences with social care staff and can compare, rate and rank the importance of different preferences. Standard forms and procedures can be devised whereby service staff can gain such information from older people. Social care staff can be influenced by information on older people’s preferences so that, sometimes at least, they can adjust services to suit individuals. On all these counts there is clear support for the practicability of a person-centred approach to home care, which seeks to adapt to the values and preferences of each individual.
Extended abstract:
Author
PATMORE Charles;
Title
Towards flexible person-centred home care services: a guide to some useful literature for planning, managing or evaluating services for older people.
Publisher
University of York. Social Policy Research Unit, 2002.
Summary
The Social Policy Research Unit initially conducted this literature review in order to provide guidance to a new research project. This report now aims to share the fruits of the literature review with a wider audience of people who are managing, developing or inspecting services for older people. The literature review was designed to gather information about: (a) different ways in which older people's home care services can be organised (b) how older people's services can be customised to reflect the values and choices of each individual service user. Information on both topics is quite rare and the following summary of literature can benefit a much wider audience that the SPRU research project which inspired the enquiry.
Context
This report covers many studies from a variety of countries. But perhaps particularly useful are its substantial summaries of the following, which represent important knowledge for anyone managing or developing home care for older people: a major recent British research study into management factors affecting quality and effectiveness of home care services; little known in the UK, a body of pioneering research by an American research team into adjusting an older person's services to their values as an individual; and, two pioneering experiments by UK Social Services Departments in increasing choice and influence by older people as individuals over the services they receive.
Method
The National Institute for Social Work Caredata database was searched using keywords as was the ASSIA database. Very little information is provided in the text on search strategy and research methodology used in the review.
Contents
This document is divided into five sections. It begins with an introduction which gives details of the reasons for this literature search and the research project of which it is part. Section two very briefly describes the methodology used in the literature search. Section three discusses the findings from the literature in terms of models of how home care services are organised. Section four discusses the findings from the literature review in terms of individual preferences among older people concerning the types of help they wish and the lifestyles they desire. Section five provides a conclusion to the findings from the literature review. The text is accompanied by a reference list and a description of SPRU's research project on flexible, person centred home care for older people.
Conclusion
"There is ample evidence that older people do differ substantially in their values and preferences - and in ways which have practical relevance to services. There is evidence to that they can often readily discuss their values and preferences with social care staff and can compare, rate and rank the importance of different preferences. Standard forms and procedures can be devised whereby service staff can gain such information from older people. Social care staff can be influenced by information on older people's preferences so that, sometimes at least, they can adjust services to suit individuals. On all these counts there is clear support for the practicability of a person-centred approach to home care, which seeks to adapt to the values and preferences of each individual."
45 references
Subject terms:
home care, literature reviews, management, models, older people, service users, social care provision, user participation, user views, carers;
Many social services departments have successfully developed services which meet older people's physical survival needs so that they can continue living in their own homes despite serious disabilities. An emerging priority is to support the morale and quality of life of the same individuals. This article describes a programme of interviews designed to obtain the views of very old, frail home care clients about their services and their lives in general. A few interviewees expressed very low morale and this seemed to reduce substantially their ratings of satisfaction with the help they received. While it is well established that disability and isolation are linked to depression in older people, it is rare that services providers systematically address these problems. Some practical strategies for this purpose are proposed as a result of this survey.
Many social services departments have successfully developed services which meet older people's physical survival needs so that they can continue living in their own homes despite serious disabilities. An emerging priority is to support the morale and quality of life of the same individuals. This article describes a programme of interviews designed to obtain the views of very old, frail home care clients about their services and their lives in general. A few interviewees expressed very low morale and this seemed to reduce substantially their ratings of satisfaction with the help they received. While it is well established that disability and isolation are linked to depression in older people, it is rare that services providers systematically address these problems. Some practical strategies for this purpose are proposed as a result of this survey.
Subject terms:
home care, home help, independence, housing, learning disabilities, motivation, older people, quality of life, depression;