Older people's views of quality of care: a randomised controlled study of continuum of care

• Published in: Journal of clinical nursing Vol. 22; no. 19-20; pp. 2934 - 2944
• Main Authors: Berglund, Helene, Wilhelmson, Katarina, Blomberg, Staffan, Dunér, Anna, Kjellgren, Karin, Hasson, Henna
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.10.2013; Blackwell; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Annan medicin och hälsovetenskap; Biological and medical sciences; care planning; Clinical Medicine; Continuity of Patient Care; continuum of care; Female; Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa, socialmedicin och epidemiologi; Frail Elderly - psychology; Geriatrics; Gerontologi, medicinsk/hälsovetenskaplig inriktning; Gerontologi, medicinsk/hälsovetenskaplig inriktning (Samhällsvetenskaplig inriktn.under 50999); Gerontology, specialising in Medical and Health Sciences; Health Sciences; Humans; Hälso- och sjukvårdsorganisation, hälsopolitik och hälsoekonomi; Hälsovetenskap; interprofessional collaboration; Intervention; Klinisk medicin; Male; Medical and Health Sciences; Medical sciences; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Miscellaneous; Nursing; Nursing care; Older people; Omvårdnad; Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Quality of care; Quality of Health Care; randomised controlled study; Surveys and Questionnaires; TECHNOLOGY; TEKNIKVETENSKAP; Sweden; Human; Evaluation; User; Satisfaction; Care; Quality; Dependence; Work; Autonomy; Planning; Elderly; Multidisciplinary; Geriatrics; care planning; older people; continuum of care; quality of care; interprofessional collaboration; randomised controlled study
• ISSN: 0962-1067; 1365-2702; 1365-2702
• DOI: 10.1111/jocn.12276

Aims and objectives To analyse frail older people's views of quality of care when receiving a comprehensive continuum of care intervention, compared with those of people receiving the usual care (control group). The intervention included early geriatric assessment, case management, interprofessional collaboration, support for relatives and organising of care‐planning meetings in older people's own homes. Background Prior studies indicate that tailored/individualised care planning conducted by a case manager/coordinator often led to greater satisfaction with care planning among older people. However, there is no obvious evidence of any effects of continuum of care interventions on older people's views of quality of care. Design Randomised controlled study. Methods Items based on a validated questionnaire were used in face‐to‐face interviews to assess older people's views of quality of care at three, six and 12 months after baseline. Results Older people receiving a comprehensive continuum of care intervention perceived higher quality of care on items about care planning (p ≤ 0·005), compared with those receiving the usual care. In addition, they had increased knowledge of whom to contact about care/service, after three and 12 months (p < 0·03). Conclusions The study gives evidence of the advantages of a combination of components such as organising care‐planning meetings in older people's own homes, case management and interprofessional teamwork. Relevance to clinical practice The results have implications for policymakers, managers and professionals in the area of health and social care for older people to meet individual needs of frail older people.