Factors influencing the admission of elderly to residential care

Abstract

It is common knowledge that Malta has an ageing population. Elderly people are not only living longer but are also living healthier lives. Thus, even though they may require help at a later age, they may require help for longer. Traditionally in Malta, elderly have looked for support from their relatives, mostly from the eldest daughter. This has now changed as a result of several changes in today’s world such as an increase in working women and changes in family structure. As a result, elderly are forced to seek support from other entities, such as the government. The level of support needed by the elderly vary according to individual needs, thus a continuum of care should be available to meet these needs. Though several services are available in Malta provided by several entities (private, church and government), in this study only government services are implied. Primary care or community care can help facilitate elderly people to continue living in their own home or assist caregivers to provide care for elderly persons and thus reduce admission to residential care. Services which are currently available and are provided by the government at a subsided rate are Home Help, Meals-on-Wheels, Handyman Services, Incontinence Services, Day Care Centres, MMDNA and Telecare. When the primary care services provided are unable to satisfy to the increasing needs of older persons and their carers, institutional care is available. In Malta, the institutions available for the long tenn care of elderly are residential and nursing homes. These provide older persons with different levels of care and an accommodation which is different to the physical and social environment of a person's personal home. The government has several nursing homes around Malta which are located in Bormla, Floriana, Gzira, Mellieha, Mosta, Mtarfa and Zejtun. The government also provides residential care at St. Vincent de Paule Residence in Luqa which provides care similar to that found in a hospital since it is aimed to care for the more dependent older adult. Despite the Community services provided, the number of elderly applying to enter into residential care is on the increase. This poses a problem, firstly financially, since it increases the financial burden to sustain an increasing number of people. Secondly, none of the homes can continue to care for more persons, thus other premises are needed. There are several theories which attempt to explain the reason of the phenomenon of the increase in elderly applying for residential care, and many factors have been identified to influence this. The aim of this research study is to determine which of these factors mostly influence the Maltese older person to apply for residential care and subsequently compare findings to other studies on the subject. The results of this research study could indicate the reason for the increasing needs of elderly people living at home, which is the stepping stone to providing services to cater for these needs. This can help to reduce admission to residential care especially when this can be avoided.