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An evaluation of the effectiveness of engaging C anadian clients as partners in in‐home care
Author(s) -
McWilliam C. L.,
Vingilis E.,
WardGriffin C.,
Higuchi K.,
Stewart M.,
Mantler T.,
Gao R.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
health and social care in the community
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.984
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1365-2524
pISSN - 0966-0410
DOI - 10.1111/hsc.12082
Subject(s) - nursing , test (biology) , scale (ratio) , psychology , health care , medicine , physics , quantum mechanics , biology , economics , economic growth , paleontology
This exploratory quasi‐experimental evaluation assessed the effectiveness of the use of a concrete discussion guide to promote organisation‐wide application of a partnering approach to engage older home‐care clients with chronic disease/disabilities as care partners. A post‐test‐only design with an independent pre‐test sample was used to compare selected outcomes with those of standard in‐home care. The theoretically informed discussion guide portrayed how to go about the process of empowering partnering by using language and open‐ended conversational leads to construct partnering, partnering effort and health as a resource for everyday living through social interaction. The discussion guide was provided to all providers for use with all clients in one home‐care programme in O ntario, C anada and this organisation was compared with a similar but geographically distanced organisation, also in O ntario. Seven hundred and ninety‐one randomly selected clients (mean age = 72.5 years) receiving 3+ months of in‐home care for chronic conditions/disabilities from the two home‐care programmes between S eptember 2007 and M ay 2010 completed a researcher‐administered questionnaire at either baseline, 1 year or 2 years. Instruments included the Client's Partnering Experience, Health‐Promoting Partnering Effort, a modified version of Locus of Authority in Decision‐Making, the Medical Outcomes Survey Self‐Rated Health Scale, Health and Social Services Utilization and a modified Functional Independence Measure. Analysis of covariance revealed that the use of the concrete discussion guide to promote organisation‐wide application of a partnering approach achieved significantly greater client partnering experience and health‐promoting partnering effort over time than did the usual approach to in‐home‐care interactions. Using the discussion guide enhanced client/provider partnering, hence, interdependence, contributing positively to promoting clients' health as a resource for everyday living.