title: Being back home after intermediate care: the experience of older people.
abstract: Older people may face many challenges and experience insecurity after discharge from hospital to home. To bridge the potential gap between general hospital and home, the concept of intermediate care (IC) was developed in the year 2000. IC aims to safeguard older people from being discharged to their home before they have sufficiently recovered. However, knowledge within this area is sparse, and the experience of older people in particular is yet to be explored. The aim of this study was to explore older people's experiences of being back home after a stay in an IC unit. Data were drawn from 12 interviews. Transcripts were analysed using a phenomenological approach. The essential meaning of being back home after a stay in an IC unit was characterised by uncertainty. Four constituents emerged: experiencing a state of shock about coming home, dependence on informal helpers, feeling a sense of isolation, and fearing loss of functional ability permanently.
authors: Associate Professor, Section of Nursing, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Denmark.
authors: Bente
authors: B
authors: Martinsen
authors: Former Associate Professor, Section of Nursing, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Denmark.
authors: Ingegerd
authors: I
authors: Harder
authors: Associate Professor, Section of Nursing, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, and VIA University College Health, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors: Annelise
authors: A
authors: Norlyk
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D024802:Nurse's Role; D010351:Patient Discharge
keywords: Denmark; discharge; intermediate care facilities; interview; older people