The characteristics of applications to home health care service and expectations
Objective: Home health care aimed to provide care to the patients, related to disease or other causes, in their own environment instead of prolonged hospitalization. This study investigates characteristics of applications for home care and expectations of care givers from this service.
Methods: This cross sectional study was held between June-October 2011 in Ulubey-Usak. There were 96 applications for home care services, 84 (87.5%) caregivers agreed to participate in this study. A questionnaire was prepared and applied face to face at first home visit. SPSS 16.0 was used for analysis of data.
Results: 61.9% of those applying for home health services (n = 52) were female and mean age was 58.4 ± 27.4. 54 (64.3%) of those considered in this study, disability is connected to chronic conditions and old age 30 (35.7%) depended on physical or mental disability. The most common expectations of caregivers from home health care service is prescription drugs for the patients (41.7%), to get medical devices needed (34.5%), and giving health care to the patient (27.4%).
Conclusions: Main expectations of home care applicants who seek care for their patients with chronic conditions, dementia, cerebrovascular diseases and physical or mental disability are; drug prescriptions and reports, provision of medical supplies and equipment. It is important to meet the expectations of patients and their relatives in the practice of home care service which is currently developing in our country.
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