Older people caring for older people: A challenge to the organization of home care

Abstract

Objective: To identify the nursing care needs of individuals who live in their homes and are dependent on others for self-care, who cares for them, and how often. Methods: Cross-sectional, observational, quantitative, descriptive study conducted in central Portugal. The sample consisted of 130 individuals dependent on others for self-care who were admitted to home care services by the Continuous Care Teams of a Cluster of Healthcare Centers in central Portugal between July 2019 and March 2020. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: The majority of caregivers were women, spouses, over 75 years of age; 15.6% of caregivers were over 80 years of age. They were often unable to ensure the dependent person’s care needs. Conclusion: The study points to the need to design professional care delivery strategies to reduce care omissions.