RESUMO
Thirty-five percent of Canadians over the age of 85 have dementia, and up to 90% of their home care is provided by family and friends. The purpose of this study was to explore the use and satisfaction with home and community-based services for persons with dementia from the perspectives of family caregivers. The study was conducted using an interpretive, descriptive, qualitative approach. Six focus groups (N = 36) and three personal interviews were conducted with rural and urban caregivers in Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, Canada. Using Lubrosky's (1994) thematic analysis, the overarching themes identified were availability and acceptability of services. The findings suggest a need for an integrated continuing care model that includes the person living with dementia and their family caregivers as partners in care, addresses all of the determinants of health, and embraces sensitivity, diversity, flexibility, and supportive services to enhance the availability and acceptability of Canadian home and community-based services.
Assuntos
Cuidadores/psicologia , Comportamento do Consumidor , Demência , Acessibilidade aos Serviços de Saúde , Serviços de Assistência Domiciliar/estatística & dados numéricos , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Canadá , Família , Feminino , Grupos Focais , Serviços de Assistência Domiciliar/economia , Humanos , Masculino , População Rural , População UrbanaRESUMO
The purpose was to examine the use and availability of home and community-based services by men and women with dementia using data from the 2003 Canadian Community Health Survey. Variables of interest were based on the Andersen and Newman model and included predisposing, enabling, need, and use of health service variables, perceived unmet health and home care needs, and availability of home and community-based health services. Women reported better health and received more supportive care yet had more unmet home care needs than men.Thus, the caregivers of men with dementia (often their wives) were particularly vulnerable to negative outcomes, as their care recipients had poorer health yet received fewer services. These gender differences should be considered when policies and programs are developed, the needs of care recipients and caregivers are assessed, and services are provided.