Background

It is estimated that there are 101 million older care-dependent people (60+). This group is expected to double by 2050 due to the ageing of the world’s population and the rise in life expectancy. Although people tend to live longer, there is little evidence that they live their later years in better health. In the future, this might put even more stress on an already overburdened acute care health system. Hospitals therefore need to focus on preventive measures to avoid rehospitalisation of older people. Family participation could be part of the solution.

Objectives

This study aimed to gain insight into the preferences of family caregivers, patients and nurses towards family caregivers taking up care tasks during hospitalisation, after receiving education.

Methods

Data were collected using a cross-sectional survey of nursing staff, family caregivers and older patients in nine wards for older people within three hospitals. Data collection ran from October 2019 till March 2020 using a questionnaire of 25 care tasks with three answer options (perform alone, together with a nurse, do not perform). A consecutive sample of 330 patients and 133 family caregivers (81 dyads could be formed) next to a convenience sample of 67 nurses was obtained.

Results

Patients (65%) are more prepared to let their family caregiver perform tasks alone than family caregivers (59%) and nurses (52%). Only few patients (3.8%) and family caregivers (13%) prefer the family caregiver to perform a task together with a nurse. The latter answer thus rather dichotomously, while nurses answer more dynamically over the three answer options. Of all family caregivers, 50% indicate willingness and ability to perform tasks on a regular basis. Significant correlations indicate that patients, family caregivers and nurses agree on which care tasks would be more preferable to be performed by a family caregiver. Looking at the dyads, preferences of a patient are not suspected to be more similar with his family caregiver than with a random family caregiver.

Conclusions

Patients, FCGs and nurses indicate to be prepared to engage in family participation. Further research needs to concentrate on the different attitudes and perceptions towards performing care tasks through qualitative research and how a successful implementation can be set up.

Implications for practice

Our study indicates that implementation of family participation in physical care within the hospital could be viable.

Trial registration

The study protocol was approved by the ethical committee of the Ghent University Hospital (B670201940430).