Home care providers' perceptions of shared decision-making with older clients (and their caregivers): A cross-sectional study.
Claudia Lai, Paul Holyoke, Karine V Plourde and 2 others
PMID 35460164WHAT IT FOUND
Home care providers see older adults facing frequent decisions about daily help, falls, and health management.
They rated staying home versus moving as the hardest. Family members were involved in decisions far more often than the clinical team.
Key findings
01The most frequent decisions were about getting help with daily activities (76.7%), preventing falls (75.1%), and managing health conditions (73.8%).
02Providers identified the decision to stay at home or move as the most difficult for older adults (46.1%).
03Family members were reported as always or often involved in decision-making more frequently than clinical staff, with wives at 60.7% and doctors at 25.9%.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study surveyed providers about their perceptions of patients' needs, not the patients themselves. Self-reported levels of shared decision-making were high, which may overestimate actual practice. The sample was drawn from a single organization, mostly in Ontario, limiting generalizability. Personal support workers made up the majority of respondents, potentially skewing the types of decisions identified as frequent.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that high self-reported shared decision-making by providers means patients are experiencing it. The study found that personal support workers reported lower involvement than nurses, and family members were more active in decisions than the clinical team.