ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Preventive home visits are part of communal programs for older citizens. The city of Hamburg promoted the pilot project "The Hamburg home visit for older citizens" in two city districts. The voluntary program is offered to persons on their 80th birthday, without comprehensive assessment and is performed by visitors with a background in healthcare or social work. The aim is to provide information, to identify need of help and to initiate contact with officials for support if wanted. METHODS: The structural and administrative prerequisites were defined together with officials of the city of Hamburg and the two city districts. The data safety concept, provision of addresses, birthday letter, information to be provided, recruitment, qualification and training of the visitors, timing and performance of visits, guiding how to communicate during the home visit, documentation and quarterly reports are described in detail. RESULTS: From September 2018 to December 2019, 1636 (35%) out of 4716 persons contacted were visited by 59 visitors. The most frequent reasons for refusal were no need because of good health (40%) or satisfaction with existing support (14%). Most issues addressed were health situation (51%), mobility (43%), housing conditions (42%) and social contacts (41%). There was need of support as documented in 399 out of 1636 home visits, and contacts for support were initiated as required by 55 persons. CONCLUSION: The acceptance of this new approach was 10% higher than 25% per month that had been expected in both the concentrated urban as well as the more rural city districts. Home visits on the 80th birthday appear to be feasible provided that structural and operational prerequisites are considered. In 2020, they were offered to all districts of the city, i.e. to about 15,000 persons per year.
