Integrated service delivery to ensure persons’ functional autonomy

Abstract

Within healthcare-systems innovations in service organisations are constantly being constructed due -for example- to new medical-, governmental- or managerial insights, political constraints and/or financial objectives. The socio-demographic changes in Canada, the increasing costs, shortage of personnel and dissatisfaction among elders with the traditional hospital-centred-model forced the Canadians towards innovation.This book is relevant for all elders in the world: 'How can one's functional autonomy at old age adequately be ensured?' The book represents the struggle of researchers dealing with an innovation started in 1999 called Integrated Service Delivery (ISD) for the frail elders in three communities in Canada. Aspects of the Program of Research to Integrate Services for the Maintenance of Autonomy (PRISMA) are highlighted in this book.