Strengthening safety for informal caregivers in home care

Abstract

This scientific letter aims to raise awareness of the critical role informal caregivers play in home care settings and the need to find new approaches to ensure patient safety in this specific environment. With Europe’s aging population, the shift of hospital care to the home, and deinstitutionalization policies, the demand for informal caregiving in developing countries is rapidly rising. Informal care, provided by family members, neighbours, friends, and hired personnel by the families, in maintaining patient safety and well-being, Informal care has been estimated to have an economic value equivalent to 50-90% of the overall cost of long-term care across the European countries. In spite of the alteration towards home-based care, the existing patient safety literature remains focused on formal institutions, creating a major gap in patient safety within the unregulated home care environments.