Current situation and future direction for assistance provided by municipal public health nurses to individuals with higher brain dysfunction and their families / 日本農村医学会雑誌

ABSTRACT

The objectives of this study were to determine the actual assistance provided by municipal public health nurses to individuals with higher brain dysfunction and their families and to discuss the future direction of their assistance so that those individuals wishing to live at home and their families can live with sense of security. Literature published between 1983 and 2021 was searched in Ichushi Web using the keyword combination of “higher brain dysfunction”, “family”, “community”, and “assistance”. In total, 16 articles that met our objectives were analyzed with particular attention to the study objectives of “family” and “assistance”. Many studies of family caregivers of individuals with higher brain dysfunction concerned the inadequacy of the social security system and the importance of cooperation between relevant organizations and professionals. Studies by nurses concerned the assistance provided and the difficulties they faced on recovery wards, efforts to improve patient self-care, feelings of burden among family members involved in home-based care, and the need to establish assistance after the main caregiver had died. Looking to the future, when municipal public health nurses assist individuals with higher brain dysfunction and their families, they should have a full view of the support system and help the system function according to the situation, by acting as an approachable point of contact when there are concerns about daily living (e.g., anxiety after the death of a family caregiver), making regular home visits to address these concerns and anxiety early, and acting as a coordinator to establish cooperation and collaboration between relevant professionals.