Assessing the Needs of Elderly People in a Home Environment: Perspectives from Patients, Caregivers, and a Family Nurse

TL;DR

This study explores the support needs of elderly individuals living at home, highlighting unmet needs in accommodation, communication, and companionship.

Contribution

The study provides insights into the discrepancies between self-reported and caregiver-reported needs among the elderly.

Findings

Elderly individuals reported an average of 5.0 needs, while caregivers and researchers reported higher numbers.

Unmet needs were most common in accommodation, company, and eyesight/hearing/communication.

Lower functional ability correlated with more met needs, and caregivers significantly influenced need identification.

Abstract

Background: Social demographic changes contribute to increased life expectancy and disability. The ability to maintain independence depends on receiving appropriate support. This study aimed to analyze the needs of individuals over 75 years of age living in a home environment. Methods: A cross-sectional study assessed support needs from the perspectives of the patient, caregiver, and researcher. The following research tools were used: Camberwell Assessment of Need for the Elderly (CANE), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Barthel Index, and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Results: The average total number of needs reported by the patients was 5.0 ± 2.9, by caregivers 6.63 ± 2.98, and by researchers 5.76 ± 3.43. The most frequently reported unmet needs were related to Accommodation, Company, and Eyesight/Hearing/Communication. A higher number of met needs (p = 0.006) and total needs (p = 0.011) was observed in individuals aged 85 and older and in seniors who had a caregiver (p < 0.001). Lower functional ability was an indicator of a higher number of met needs (p < 0.001). Cognitive function did not affect the number of reported needs. A correlation was found between the number of needs and depressive symptoms. The total number of needs reported by patients was significantly lower than the number reported by healthcare personnel and caregivers. Conclusions: The CANE questionnaire enabled the identification of individual care needs in the elderly. Although unmet needs were in areas that could be easily addressed, elderly individuals did not receive adequate support. Researchers and caregivers identified more met and unmet needs than the elderly individuals themselves.