Development of a community-based care system model for senior citizens in Tehran

ABSTRACT

In Iran a considerable percentage of old people "living" in society need to receive specialized health services. In order to respond to these care needs, developing and implementing health and social care systems with consideration of relevant factors such as existing resources and facilities; social and cultural issues and characteristics of each group of elders [healthy elders, frails, home-bound] seems to be necessary. At the development phase of the care model in this study methodological triangulation is used including 1. Comprehensive review of current and related literature. 2. Conduction of an ethnographic study on a number of Tehranian elders and their families. 3. Seeking opinions of a group of experts on this issue using nominal group technique, and analysis and synthesis of the collected data were employed to develop a community based care system for elders. The preliminary results of employing this care system and examination of expected outcomes such as enhancing quality of life and hope in elders, reflects the efficiency of this system, although further complementary studies and particularly cost benefit analyses are strongly recommended