What do older people want from integrated care? Experiences from a South Australian co-design case study

The challenges of improving the integration of care for older people with complex care needs are well recognised. Evidence suggests that solutions should be co-designed with older people to ensure they are contextually relevant and person-centred.

As a first step in a co-design project to improve integrated care for older people, seven interviews and three workshops were held with older people and service providers. Data collected via recordings, notes and journey maps were inductively analysed.

Five themes were identified: relationships and roles, patient capacity and safety, information and systems, multiway communication, and transitions and flow. This created a more holistic and person-centred picture of integrated care than typically derived from published literature.

Older people perceive integrated care from relational, organisational, informational and individual viewpoints. This reinforces the central importance of adopting a person-centred, as opposed to health system-focused, approach to designing and implementing integrated care solutions.