ACTION: A person-centred communication intervention in home care of older persons
Project objectives are enhanced knowledge and competence in communication, an increased provision of person-centered home care, and an improved quality of care that help preserve health, dignity and well-being for older persons through a more individualized care.
Concluded
Start
2021-03-01
Conclusion
2023-02-28
Main financing
Collaboration partners
Research area
Project manager at MDU
Communication is central in meetings between people and has mainly two functions: relationship building and information exchange. Communication in home care of older people involves information exchange but is also a social interaction where nursing staff and care recipients create relationships. Nursing staff are sometimes faced with communicative challenges such as topics about existential or emotional concerns or issues, capturing needs and wishes. To actively listen and at the same time performing the care interventions they are there to perform.
Older persons may also have cognitive impairments, impaired hearing or speech, which can also make communication challenging. With an increasing proportion of foreign-born care recipients, language can also challenge nursing staff in their communication. Nursing staff and care recipients may also have different expectations or perspectives on what they need from the care, which can lead to misunderstandings and affect the interaction and communication.
Communication is also an important part of achieving and maintaining person-centered care, and meeting future needs for professional competence and quality in home care for older persons. Person-centered care is emphasized in legislations, guidelines and policies, and is closely associated with quality care. In a person-centered care, the care recipient is at the center and a part of the care team, a person who is involved and seen as a co-creator in their own care. To create and maintain a person-centered care, the nursing staff need knowledge and support in training and developing a person-centered care and communication. Training communication through interactive education is a way to strengthen the competence in person-centered communication and a complement to a more traditional training.
There are advantages as it can be offered digitally and carried out on repeated occasions when the nursing staff has time to complete the training. ACTION is an education intervention with focus on person-centered care and communication, aimed at nursing staff within home care for older persons. The education platform has recently been tested in a smaller scale by researchers at the University of Borås.
Primary purpose
To evaluate the ACTION intervention when implemented in community home care organizations.