Health assessment of the elderly at home: the case for shared learning.
This paper reports findings from a collaborative research project (Buckley & Runciman 1985) which examined, using video studies and questionnaires, the scope and content of health assessment of old people at home and the views and feelings of different groups of health professionals towards visiting old people at home. The study sample included student and experienced health care workers and a number of elderly people; seven professional groups were represented. A prompt list summarizing key content of health assessment was devised and tested in field studies in two primary health care teams. Views and feelings about visiting old people are presented under four headings: priorities and preferences; skills and training; work organization and the team; and the feelings and rights of the elderly themselves. Educational recommendations from the study are made and the case for shared learning in relation to health care of old people is presented.
Runciman
P
P
Department of Health and Nursing, Queen Margaret College, Edinburgh.
D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D006262:Health; D006304:Health Status; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011320:Primary Health Care; D006113:United Kingdom