Using volunteer visitors in home care

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Geriatric Care
• Volunteer Program Development

Background:

• Increasing numbers of frail elderly require expanded home care services.
• Existing healthcare models face challenges in cost-effective service delivery.
• Visiting nurse associations seek innovative strategies to extend patient reach.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the planning, design, and implementation of a Volunteer Visitor Program.
• To establish a framework for integrating volunteers into home care.
• To enhance the capacity of visiting nurse associations to serve the elderly population.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a critical job analysis of the nurse care manager role.
• Developed a specific role for home visitors based on the job analysis.
• Designed and implemented a structured Volunteer Visitor Program.

Main Results:

• Successfully extended care and services to a growing population of frail elderly.
• Achieved more effective and efficient utilization of nurse care managers.
• Contributed to cost containment for both the agency and the clients.

Conclusions:

• Volunteer programs can effectively supplement professional healthcare services.
• Job analysis is a valuable tool for designing new healthcare roles.
• Integrating volunteers offers a sustainable model for expanding geriatric home care.