ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Non-professional care provided in domestic settings by a family member or someone from the close environment and without a connection to a professional care service, is increasingly assumed by older people, mainly the spouses of those requiring care. The aim of this study was to describe the experience of older people providing care at home to older dependents. METHODS: A qualitative study was carried out to describe and explore the experience of older people, caregivers of dependent older people in the home. RESULTS: Four themes emerged as a result of the analysis: interpersonal relationships established in the caregivers' immediate environment; the need and request for public and private resources; consequences of providing care during old age; and adaptation to the circumstance of being a caregiver during old age. Older people who provide home-based care, experience their situation as stressful, feel that it limits their daily life, deprives them of their freedom, and affects their interpersonal relationships and social activities. DISCUSSION: Older caregivers learn quickly and can manage the skills issues. The volume of work is their challenge. Interpersonal relationships are altered depending on the length of time spent together and the demand for care. Public services and benefits are not adapted to the demands of caregivers or dependent persons.
Subject(s)
Adaptation, Psychological/physiology , Caregivers/psychology , Emotions/physiology , Family/psychology , Home Care Services/statistics & numerical data , Social Isolation , Spouses/psychology , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Male , Qualitative ResearchABSTRACT
Objetivo: Evaluar un programa de prevención de exposiciones accidentales a fluidos biológicos basado en la mejora del grado de cumplimiento (GC) de las Precauciones Estándar (PE). Material y métodos: Intervenciones: primera (realización sesiones de actualización y reparto de trípticos informativos), y segunda (reparto de trípticos). Indicadores: Nivel de Conocimientos (NC), medido con un cuestionario de cinco preguntas, se consideró inadecuado cuando se fallaban tres o más preguntas; GC de PE medido en cuatro áreas (Higiene Manos -HM-, utilización de guantes -UG-, utilización adecuada métodos barrera -UAMB- y manejo adecuado objetos cortantes -MAOC-; Incidencia de inoculaciones y de exposiciones de mucosas a fluidos corporales. Resultados. La frecuencia de cuestionarios inadecuados paso del 54,6% al 23,3%(<0.001). La frecuencia HM pasó del 53,5% al 58,2%(<0,01), la UG del 78,7% al 84,6%(0,058), el UAMB del 53,8% al 55.5%(N.S.) y el MAOC del 52,9% al 54,0%(N.S.). La Incidencia inoculaciones paso del 5,53% al 4,98%(N.S.) y las exposiciones de mucosas del 0,95% al 0,81%(N.S.). Conclusiones: El programa ha mejorado los conocimientos del personal sobre PE, y el GC de PE y ha disminuido la incidencia exposiciones accidentales a fluidos biológicos aunque no de manera estadísticamente significativa (AU)
Introduction: The aim is to evaluate a program of prevention of accidental exposure to biological fluids based on the improvement of the compliance to Standard Precautions (SP). Methods: Interventions: first (update sessions and distributing pamphlets), and second (distributing pamphlets). Indicators: Level of knowledge (LK), measured with a 5-item questionnaire, with three or more incorrect answers considered inadequate; Compliance to SP measured in four areas (Hand Hygiene Hands -HH-, utilization of gloves - GU-, suitable utilization methods barrier - SUMB - and suitable managing cutting objects - SMCO-; Incident of percutaneus injuries and of exposure of mucous to corporal fluids. Results: The frequency of inadequate questionnaires I happen from 54,6 % to 23,3 % (<0.001). The frequency HH happened from 53,5 % to 58,2 % (<0,01), the GU of 78,7 % to 84,6 % (0,058), the SUMB of 53,8 % to 55.5 % (N.S.) and the SMCO of 52,9 % to 54,0 % (N.S.). The Incident percutaneus injuries from 5,53 % to 4,98 % (N.S.) and the exposure of mucous from 0,95 % to 0,81 % (N.S.). Conclusion: The program has improved in the knowledge of the personnel on SP, and has improved SP compliance and the Incident has diminished accidental exhibitions to biological fluids though not in a statistically significant way (AU)
