دانلود Community care for the Elderly: Needs and Service Use Study (CENSUS): Who receives home care packages and what are the outcomes

Abstract

Aim: Investigate factors associated with waiting times for home care packages and outcomes for care recipients and carers.

Method: Analyses of data collected every four months for12  months from 55 community-dwelling older adults eligible for government-subsidised packaged care and their carers.

Results: Thirty of fifty-five participants were offered a package; they waited from one to 237 days. Baseline quality of life was higher for those offered a package than those not. Baseline care needs and unmet needs, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and cognitive decline did not predict offers. Package receipt compared to non-package receipt was associated with decreased carer burden over time but did not affect levels of unmet care needs, care needs or quality of life.

Conclusions: Being offered a home care package was not based on waiting time or unmet care needs. Reforms should include a transparent system of wait listing and prioritization.