Professional carers' perspectives on participation for older adults living in place

Abstract

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to provide knowledge about professional carers' subjective descriptions and understanding of older adults' participation in everyday life, when living in place and depending on home-based service delivery.

Method. Thirty professionals from different organisational levels were selected, allowing for differences in ages, gender, length of working experience, and profession or education. Six focus group discussions were held. A grounded theory approach was used to analyse the data.

Results. The core category was identified as ‘participation in one's own life’. Two categories included the care providers' descriptions and understanding of participation in the life of older adults; ‘carrying out tasks in everyday-life’ and ‘interaction during service delivery’. Participation as carrying out tasks was related to the contexts inside and outside the house. The professional carers' understandings of older adults' participation in interaction during service delivery included three categories; ‘Being included and taking part in decision-making’, ‘socialising during service delivery’ and ‘collaboration in keeping up or regaining functions'.

Conclusions. To promote participation for older adults living in place and in the context of service delivery, the findings suggest that the professional carers must extend their focus on participation as socialising and its significance for older adults. At a system level there is a need to focus on how the professional role in home-based service delivery can be adjusted and developed to promote collaboration about participation in older adults.

Keywords:

• Elderly
• participation
• ICF
• carers

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the professional carers for willingly sharing their limited time and their experiences with us, and the Norwegian Research Council for financial support for this study.