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Extracare: meeting the needs of fit or frail older people?
- Authors:
- BURHOLT Vanessa, et al
- Publisher:
- Swansea University. Centre for Innovative Ageing
- Publication year:
- 2011
- Pagination:
- 96
- Place of publication:
- Swansea
Extracare has been described as innovative housing schemes that combine both independent living with high levels of care for older people. This research addresses some of the knowledge gaps regarding supported living environments by looking at the integration and management of complex care in three key settings: extracare, residential care and home care. It examines the quality of life and experience of older people and assesses the cost effectiveness of extracare compared to residential and home care. The study sample included 183 older people aged 60-98 years who completed a questionnaire survey. In addition, 91 participants also took part in in-depth interviews. The research found that extracare provides for proportionally fewer frail older people than the other care environments. When compared with residential and community care, extracare clearly has a variable capacity for meeting the needs of older people, with extracare managers unwilling to admit or continue to cater for people suffering with cognitive deterioration. The analysis of social networks indicated that extracare environments provide the conditions for increased social interaction and this is particularly effective for older widows. However, there were no differences in the levels of loneliness between the three living environments. The analysis revealed that, on the whole, the type of care environment is not predictive of quality of life. The report makes a number of recommendations, including deinstitutionalization of older people with mild to moderate cognitive impairment; setting clear standards for extracare; encouraging a more flexible approach to the provision of complex care in extracare facilities; and supporting the use of innovative care packages to help people remain independent in the community or in extracare schemes. (Edited publisher abstract)