Author: Marianne Saragosa, Lianne Jeffs, Karen Okrainec, Kerry Kuluski

Publication Date: September 13, 2022

Description:

Introduction: Accelerating rates of dementia worldwide coupled with older adults living longer in the community calls for greater focus on quality home care support services. Few frameworks for quality dementia home care exist though prior findings have found elements considered to be important for "good" home care for people living with dementia. This study aimed to identify core components of a quality home care experience for people with dementia and their caregivers.

Methods: As part of a larger research study, in-depth interviews were conducted with persons living with dementia and caregivers (n = 25) to explore hospital-to-home care transitions. The design used for this study was a qualitative description. We used deductive-inductive thematic analysis, which was informed by previous work in this area. Open codes were mapped to pre-determined themes, and for codes not accommodated by an a piori framework, new themes were developed.

Findings: Our findings resulted in 4 overarching themes. Two themes were identified deductively (Availability and Acceptability of Home Care Services) and two inductively (Adaptability and Affordability of Home Care Services). Findings highlight the roles of family-care provider partnerships and responsive support in receiving quality home care, and the cost associated with unmet needs.

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Keywords: Aged, COVID-19, Caregivers, Home care services, quality of health care