Do Impaired Older Persons With Health Care Needs Occupy U.S. Assisted Living Facilities? An Analysis of Six National Studies

Objective: The unmet health-care needs among older persons population should be identified and anticipated due to hideous potential impacts. Ironically, no published study regarding this phenomenon was found in Indonesia. Derived from the Indonesian population and civil data, this study was conducted to identify the health-care needs of urban older people living on Java Island, the most populated island in Indonesia.Methods: A qualitative study was conducted in 3 subdistricts in Surabaya, the capital city of East Java, namely, Rungkut, Kenjeran, and Tenggilis. There were 9 focus group discussions (FGDs) conducted during March-August 2015. Participants in this study were recruited purposively, i.e., person in charge of “Karang Werda,” and the discussion explored thematically various topics in the area of unmet health needs phenomena related to: (1) Availability, (2) accessibility, and (3) acceptability. A FGD guide was developed to ensure in-depth discussion.Results: There were 90 older persons serving as volunteers who participated in this study. The unmet health-care needs addressed by participants in this study were (1) Integrated and specialized health-care services for older persons and (2) skillful yet age-friendly health-care personnel were needed by participants. Our findings pointed out that the unmet health-care needs in Indonesian urban settings were classified as primarily availability, accessibility, and acceptability issues.Conclusion: The government needs to take actions to solve the challenges related to the fulfillment of health-care needs among older persons in Indonesia. Further study of the health care personnel’s beliefs and attitudes in providing care among older persons needs to be conducted to provide a more holistic picture of the phenomena before making any strategy for the future Indonesia’s health-care system.

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A Qualitative Systematic Review of Older Persons’ Perceptions of Health, Ill Health, and Their Community Health Care Needs

Nursing Research and Practice ◽

10.1155/2013/672702 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 2013 ◽

pp. 1-12 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Anne Lise Holm ◽

Elisabeth Severinsson

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Health Care ◽

Community Health ◽

Older Persons ◽

Sense Of Self ◽

Community Health Care ◽

Health Care Needs ◽

Care Needs ◽

Qualitative Systematic Review ◽

Self Worth

The aim of this qualitative systematic review was to report a synthesis of older persons’ perceptions of health, ill health, and their community health care needs. The review questions were what characterizes older persons’ perceptions of health and ill health? and what are their community health care needs? Ten studies were identified in a systematic search for relevant qualitative papers published between January 2000 and January 2013 in the following electronic databases: PubMed, EBSCOhost/Academic Search Premier, and CINAHL. Publications were evaluated for quality, and a thematic analysis was performed. Two main themes were interpreted on a higher level: reconciliation with how life has become: and desire to regain their identity and sense of self-worth despite disability. Two themes emerged: creating meaning led to the experience of being valued in health care and society and a mental struggle to regain independence with the help of caregivers. Of special interest is the finding of perceptions related to the fear of becoming dependent on caregivers as well as the sorrow and pain caused by encountering caregivers who did not understand their desire to create meaning in their lives or their struggle for autonomy and independency.

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