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Client-centred, community-based care for frail seniors
Sherry Anne Chapman1, Norah Keating, Jacquie Eales
1Department of Human Ecology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Health & Social Care in the Community
|June 26, 2003
Summary
Community-based residential care for seniors shows promise in recognizing individuality and community connection. However, challenges in resource allocation and care partnerships hinder full implementation, suggesting a need for adjusted funding models.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Health Services Research
- Community Health
Background:
- Community care is often perceived as superior to nursing home care for older adults, emphasizing client-centeredness and cost-effectiveness.
- An increasing population of frail seniors necessitates exploring alternative models to traditional nursing home care.
- Canadian governments are investigating expanded community care programs to meet the needs of aging populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the implementation of client-centered, community-based residential care for individuals requiring nursing-home-level support.
- To identify key challenges in providing responsive and community-integrated care within residential settings.
- To explore the feasibility of community-centered care for residents unable to actively participate in decision-making.
Main Methods:
- A demonstration project was conducted in western Canada evaluating new community-based residential care programs.
- Focus groups were utilized with informal (family) and formal (program staff) stakeholders.
- Content analysis of focus group data was performed to identify implementation themes and challenges.
Main Results:
- Programs succeeded in emphasizing resident individuality and community connection.
- Implementation fell short of initial expectations, highlighting three core challenges.
- Key challenges included forming care partnerships, managing limited resources for resident needs, and sustaining community ties.
Conclusions:
- Community-based residential care models show potential but require adjustments for successful implementation.
- Addressing resource limitations and fostering collaborative care partnerships are crucial for program effectiveness.
- Increased and adjusted funding, potentially closer to nursing home levels, may be necessary for the long-term sustainability of these programs.