Home First: Exploring the Impact of Community-based Home Care for Older Adults and Their Family Caregivers. Issue 3 (29th September 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Compton, Roslyn M.; Olirus Owilli, Alex; Caine, Vera; Berendonk, Charlotte; Jouan-Tapp, Donna; Sommerfeldt, Susan; McPhee, D. Jane; Walz, Darla
• Is Part Of: Canadian journal on aging. Volume 39:Issue 3(2020)
• Page Start: 432
• Page End: 442
• Publication Date: 2020-09-29
• Subjects: aging, -- older adults, -- community, -- health care, -- interpretive description; vieillissement, -- adultes âgés, -- communauté, -- soins de santé, -- interprétation descriptive; Gerontology -- Periodicals; Gerontology -- Canada -- Periodicals; 612.6705
• DOI: 10.1017/S0714980819000461
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0714-9808

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Given the rapidly expanding older adult population, finding health care approaches that support older adults to age in their choice of place, with an accompanying philosophical re-orientation of health services, is becoming more urgent. We studied the Home Care Home First – Quick Response Project to understand how clients over age 75 and their family caregivers perceived the enhanced community-based services delivered through Home First. Using interpretive description as the methodological design, we explored the experiences of eight older adults and 11 family caregivers; all older adults were enrolled in Home First due to a significant change in their health status. We identified four themes: growing older in chosen places with support, philosophy of care, processes of Home First, and the significance of Home First for clients. Overall, clients and family caregivers responded positively to the Home First services. Clients valued their independence and growing older in places they had specifically chosen.