scholarly journals Healthcare providers’ experiences in supporting community-living older adults to manage multiple chronic conditions: a qualitative study

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenny Ploeg ◽  
Marie-Lee Yous ◽  
Kimberly Fraser ◽  
Sinéad Dufour ◽  
Lisa Garland Baird ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Home Care ◽  
Chronic Conditions ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Integrated System ◽  
Multiple Chronic Conditions ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Home Care Providers

Abstract Background Living with multiple chronic conditions (MCC), the coexistence of two or more chronic conditions, is becoming more prevalent as the population ages. Primary care and home care providers play key roles in caring for older adults with MCC such as facilitating complex care decisions, shared decision-making, and access to community health and support services. While there is some research on the perceptions and experiences of these providers in caring for this population, much of this literature is focused specifically on family physicians. Little is known about the experiences of other primary care and home care providers from multiple disciplines who care for this vulnerable group. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of primary and home care healthcare providers in supporting the care of older adults with MCC living in the community, and identify ways of improving care delivery and outcomes for this group. Methods The study used an interpretive descriptive design. A total of 42 healthcare providers from two provinces in Canada (Ontario and Alberta) participated in individual semi-structured, face-to-face 60-min interviews. Participants represented diverse disciplines from primary care and home care settings. Inductive thematic analysis was used for data analysis. Results The experiences and recommendations of healthcare providers managing care for older adults with MCC were organized into six major themes: (1) managing complexity associated with MCC, (2) implementing person-centred care, (3), supporting caregivers, (4) using a team approach for holistic care delivery, (5) encountering challenges and rewards, and (6) recommending ways to address the challenges of the healthcare system. Healthcare providers identified the need for a more comprehensive, integrated system of care to improve the delivery of care and outcomes for older adults with MCC and their family caregivers. Conclusions Study findings suggest that community-based healthcare providers are using many relevant and appropriate strategies to support older adults living with the complexity of MCC, such as implementing person-centred care, supporting caregivers, working collaboratively with other providers, and addressing social determinants of health. However, they also identified the need for a more comprehensive, integrated system of care.

scholarly journals HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS’ EXPERIENCES IN CARING FOR OLDER ADULTS WITH MULTIPLE CHRONIC CONDITIONS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S317-S318
Author(s):  
Jenny Ploeg ◽  
Marie-Lee Yous ◽  
Kimberly Fraser ◽  
Sinéad Dufour ◽  
Sharon Kaasalainen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Home Care ◽  
Family Caregivers ◽  
Chronic Conditions ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Multiple Chronic Conditions ◽  
Team Approach ◽  
Personal Support

Abstract The management of multiple chronic conditions (MCC) in older adults living in the community is complex. Little is known about the experiences of interdisciplinary primary care and home providers who care for this vulnerable group. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of healthcare providers in managing the care of community-living older adults with MCC and to highlight their recommendations for improving care delivery for this group. A qualitative interpretive description design was used. A total of 42 healthcare providers from two provinces in Canada participated in semi-structured interviews. Participants represented diverse disciplines (e.g., physicians, nurses, social workers, personal support workers) and settings (e.g., primary care and home care). Thematic analysis was used to analyze interview data. The experiences of healthcare providers managing care for older adults with MCC were organized into six major themes: (1) managing complexity associated with MCC, (2) implementing person-centred care, (3), involving and supporting family caregivers, (4) using a team approach for holistic care delivery, (5) encountering rewards and challenges in caring for older adults with MCC, and (6) recommending ways to address the challenges of the healthcare system. Healthcare providers highlighted the need for a more comprehensive integrated system of care to improve care management for older adults with MCC and their family caregivers. Specifically, they suggested increased care coordination, more comprehensive primary care visits with an interprofessional team, and increased home care support.

scholarly journals MANAGING MULTIPLE CHRONIC CONDITIONS: EXPERIENCES OF OLDER ADULTS, CAREGIVERS, AND CARE PROVIDERS

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (suppl_1) ◽  
pp. 73-73
Author(s):  
J. Ploeg ◽  
N. Matthew-Maich ◽  
K. Fraser ◽  
S. Dufour ◽  
C.A. McAiney ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Chronic Conditions ◽  
Multiple Chronic Conditions ◽  
Care Providers

scholarly journals A Web-Based eHealth Intervention to Improve the Quality of Life of Older Adults With Multiple Chronic Conditions: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

10.2196/25175 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. e25175
Author(s):  
David H Gustafson Sr ◽  
Marie-Louise Mares ◽  
Darcie C Johnston ◽  
Jane E Mahoney ◽  
Randall T Brown ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Chronic Conditions ◽  
Health Care Use ◽  
Multiple Chronic Conditions ◽  
Secondary Outcomes ◽  
Ehealth Intervention

Background Multiple chronic conditions (MCCs) are common among older adults and expensive to manage. Two-thirds of Medicare beneficiaries have multiple conditions (eg, diabetes and osteoarthritis) and account for more than 90% of Medicare spending. Patients with MCCs also experience lower quality of life and worse medical and psychiatric outcomes than patients without MCCs. In primary care settings, where MCCs are generally treated, care often focuses on laboratory results and medication management, and not quality of life, due in part to time constraints. eHealth systems, which have been shown to improve multiple outcomes, may be able to fill the gap, supplementing primary care and improving these patients’ lives. Objective This study aims to assess the effects of ElderTree (ET), an eHealth intervention for older adults with MCCs, on quality of life and related measures. Methods In this unblinded study, 346 adults aged 65 years and older with at least 3 of 5 targeted high-risk chronic conditions (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, osteoarthritis, and BMI ≥30 kg/m2) were recruited from primary care clinics and randomized in a ratio of 1:1 to one of 2 conditions: usual care (UC) plus laptop computer, internet service, and ET or a control consisting of UC plus laptop and internet but no ET. Patients with ET have access for 12 months and will be followed up for an additional 6 months, for a total of 18 months. The primary outcomes of this study are the differences between the 2 groups with regard to measures of quality of life, psychological well-being, and loneliness. The secondary outcomes are between-group differences in laboratory scores, falls, symptom distress, medication adherence, and crisis and long-term health care use. We will also examine the mediators and moderators of the effects of ET. At baseline and months 6, 12, and 18, patients complete written surveys comprising validated scales selected for good psychometric properties with similar populations; laboratory data are collected from eHealth records; health care use and chronic conditions are collected from health records and patient surveys; and ET use data are collected continuously in system logs. We will use general linear models and linear mixed models to evaluate primary and secondary outcomes over time, with treatment condition as a between-subjects factor. Separate analyses will be conducted for outcomes that are noncontinuous or not correlated with other outcomes. Results Recruitment was conducted from January 2018 to December 2019, and 346 participants were recruited. The intervention period will end in June 2021. Conclusions With self-management and motivational strategies, health tracking, educational tools, and peer community and support, ET may help improve outcomes for patients coping with ongoing, complex MCCs. In addition, it may relieve some stress on the primary care system, with potential cost implications. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03387735; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03387735. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/25175

A collaborative approach to home care delivery for older clients: Perspectives of home care providers

2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 198-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sini Eloranta ◽  
Anthony Welch ◽  
Seija Arve ◽  
Pirkko Routasalo
Keyword(s):  
Home Care ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Collaborative Approach ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Home Care Providers

scholarly journals Disruptions to Care and the Use of Telehealth Among Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 943-943
Author(s):  
Beth Prusaczyk ◽  
Brian Carpenter ◽  
Nancy Morrow-Howell ◽  
Eric Lenze
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Dental Care ◽  
Speech Therapy ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Rehabilitation Care ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Vision Care

Abstract Reports emerged early in the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic that older adults were foregoing non-COVID19-related care, due to fears of contracting the virus during appointments and because of healthcare providers’ reduced operations. Beginning in July, 2020, we explored the impact of the pandemic on disruptions to care and older adults’ use of telehealth. Preliminary results from 53 older adults aged 66 to 93 (mean: 72.6) found that many older adults experienced disruptions in their care, ranging from 30-50% depending on the type of care. The most commonly disrupted care types were mental health and rehabilitation care (occupational, physical, or speech therapy), with 50% of older adults reporting disruptions to mental health and 50% to rehabilitation care. The most common reason for the disruptions was closed care providers’ offices. Similar results were found for primary care (46% reporting disruptions), dental care (44%), and vision care (30%), with between 62-71% citing closed offices as a reason for the disruption. The use of telehealth among the sample was high (44%), and the majority (83%) of these older adults reported never having used it previously. All who used it reported being very or somewhat comfortable with the technology, and 83% said they would use it again even if in-person care was available. These findings suggest the pandemic has had a significant impact on older adults’ care and that the expansion of telehealth could be increase access to care during and after the pandemic.

scholarly journals The Complexity of Living with Diabetes and Urinary Incontinence for Older Adults with Multiple Chronic Conditions Receiving Home Care Services: An Interpretive Description Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 233339362199345
Author(s):  
Melissa Northwood ◽  
Jenny Ploeg ◽  
Maureen Markle-Reid ◽  
Diana Sherifali
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Urinary Incontinence ◽  
Home Care ◽  
Chronic Conditions ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Home Care Services ◽  
Experiential Knowledge ◽  
Multiple Chronic Conditions ◽  
Interpretive Description ◽  
Care Services

Over 40% of older adults with diabetes receiving home-care services experience urinary incontinence. However, experiential knowledge is lacking on how these older adults live with diabetes and incontinence. Interpretive description methodology was used to explore the experiences of 18 older adults with diabetes and urinary incontinence receiving home-care services in Ontario, Canada. Five themes emerged from the findings: (a) enduring urinary incontinence: “patch it in pads”; (b) struggling to manage diabetes, incontinence, and multiple chronic conditions: “a balancing act”; (c) covering the costs of care: “I can’t afford it”; (d) counting on a caregiver: “he does everything”; and (e) home-care services not meeting my needs: “it’s not individual.” These findings suggest that living with urinary incontinence and diabetes is a complex and challenging experience. This evidence could inform the provision of comprehensive home care to support self-care for this population.

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