[Nursing home care on the move; a stock-taking overview of 5 substitution projects nursing home care]

An inventory was made of 5 substitute care projects in old people's homes, performed by the nursing home in Geertruidenberg. Data were gathered by semi-structured interviews and enquiries. The general goal of substitution of nursing home care for outdoor patients is to provide complementary outreaching nursing home services, by which real nursing home admittance can be postponed or avoided. In fact, in many cases substitution care appears to avoid nursing home admittance. In 1991-1993 there were 144 participants in these projects, from which only 11 at least were admitted to the nursing home. In the near future however, the quality of these outreaching nursing home projects has to be improved, especially on aspects as: continuity and methodology of care and with respect to the multidisciplinary approach. At last the financial support of these projects appears to be complicated and uncertain. A structural solution for this problem is urgent too.