Aging in place: older adults' perspective of home support services in New Brunswick
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Date
2019
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University of New Brunswick
Abstract
Countries facing aging population challenges have to address them in patient-oriented, and evidence-based ways. Seniors desire to age in place. This concept in which one lives in his or her own home for as long as possible carries two-fold benefits. Seniors could live out their days in their homes and the government could potentially reduce seniors' hospitalizations and emergency visits. This would significantly decrease public health spending and improve the quality of life for the elderly. Previous senior home support services investigations in New Brunswick have used province-wide and Francophone perspectives, however, this study utilized a uniquely Anglophone point of view to add to the existing body of knowledge. An interpretive description methodology studied the perspectives of seniors receiving home support services which are publicly funded in New Brunswick. The knowledge gained from this investigation has the potential to further inform policy on serving seniors more effectively and efficiently with input from their own voices. Eight participants aged 65 and older and one caregiver were interviewed for this study. Findings show that seniors desire to age in their own homes and home support services enable this thus assist seniors to carry out successful daily life. However, seniors are experiencing significant gaps in home supports, with the most glaring ones occurring in rural New Brunswick. These gaps include home support worker staffing challenges and professional conduct issues which inevitably lead to unmet home support service needs. More still needs to be done to effectively address these gaps for seniors in the province of New Brunswick.