title: Desired characteristics and outcomes of community care services for persons with dementia: what is important according to clients, service providers and policy?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine views of Australian consumers, service providers and policy representatives on important characteristics and outcomes for community care.
  
  
  METHODS
  Interviews, with 32 consumers (one person with dementia (PWD) and 31 carers), 32 service providers and four policy representatives, were analysed thematically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Outcomes important to consumers and service providers were that PWD can stay at home safely with personalised activities and socialisation; and that carers receive emotional support, respite and continue paid employment. Consumers and service providers said it was important that community care services were flexible and reliable and provided adequate hours of care and there was continuity of appropriate and well-trained staff. Overall responses of policy representatives were congruent with consumers and service providers but did not comprehensively cover the issues.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Community care policies and service practices need to be re-examined to make sure that they are person-centred and reflect consumer needs, for instance by integrating client and carer services and providing appropriate activities for PWD.
authors.affiliation: Dementia Collaborative Research Centre, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. lf.low@unsw.edu.au
authors.forename: Lee-Fay
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Low
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Yun-Hee
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: Meredith
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gresham
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Brodaty
mesh_terms: D000288:Administrative Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D017281:Cost of Illness; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006291:Health Policy; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D018802:Patient-Centered Care; D016896:Treatment Outcome