Supporting older people with multimorbidity: The care burden of home health-care assistants in Ireland

ABSTRACT

The treatment burden inherent in self-managing multiple chronic conditions (multimorbidity) is recognized, but there has been little examination of the care burden experienced by paid home health-care assistants (HCAs) who support older people with multimorbidity. Focus groups were conducted with HCAs in Ireland and data were coded using a thematic analysis approach. Care burden of HCAs was linked with lack of knowledge and information, poor communication, insufficient time and resources, gaps in medication support and work-related stress. Strategies are required to reduce the care burden of HCAs, who are essential stakeholders supporting growing numbers of older people with multimorbidity.

KEYWORDS:

• Multimorbidity
• older people
• healthcare assistants
• chronic illness
• care burden

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. Presentation of medication for a week or month, with the medication for each day or time of the day (morning, evening, etc.) pre-packaged in separate “blisters” to ensure correct medications are taken at prescribed times.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. [689996].