Assessing the care requirements and perceptions of elderly applying to long-term care: the need for alternatives to institutionalization along the continuum

• Main Author: Walsh, Meghan Christine
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: Memorial University of Newfoundland 2007
• Subjects: Newfoundland
• Online Access: https://research.library.mun.ca/8641/; https://research.library.mun.ca/8641/1/Walsh_Meghan.pdf

Despite changes in the 1990's to the long-term care system in the Eastern Health region of Newfoundland and Labrador problems persisted. The system continued to be plagued by inappropriate use of nursing home beds, unnecessary acute care use, a discrepancy between the supply and demand of nursing home beds and a deficit of housing and alternatives to institutional care. Research suggested that a portion of applicants to the single-entry system with modest care needs might be better suited to an alternative housing arrangement rather than the two existing options: personal care homes and nursing homes. With the high cost of nursing home beds, lengthy wait times for placement, and a lack of interest in personal care homes, these issues demanded further investigation. The purpose of the study was therefore to gain an in-depth understanding of the system from a segment of applicants with modest care needs that could be extrapolated to a larger population of applicants with similar needs. Consequently, a chart review of an incident cohort of elderly applicants for long-term care placement was conducted to determine disability levels and support requirements. Data collected included care requirements and functional status, acute and chronic care usage, stated preferences for facilities and reasons for application, presence and use of formal and informal support, wait times, and outcomes of applications. In the second phase of the study, twenty individuals from the incident cohort were interviewed using grounded theory to explore experiences of the elderly with long-term care and the meanings of their decisions in relation to their personal experiences of aging and more specifically, the application process. Additionally, the objectives were to determine participants' perceptions of their needs; reasons for and causes of the decision to apply for long-term care placement; the role of applicants' support networks; attitudes regarding existing options; and, finally, opinions regarding a theoretical alternative housing ...