Care-Related Quality of Life in Old Age

The result of an ambitious European research initiative, the Care Keys Project addresses quality of life issues among frail, care-dependent seniors, taking their social as well as health needs into account. The book provides theoretical and methodological perspectives together with chapters based on original research.

This book examines the relationship between quality of care and quality of life of frail older persons who are dependent on external support and care. Quality of life in old age has become a key issue within gerontology and health and social care research. The book specifically addresses this issue by developing a new concept of "care-related quality of life." The book addresses key issues by providing theoretical and methodological perspectives on the problem area, together with chapters based on original empirical research. The research was financed by the EU, and it involved studies in Finland, Estonia, Germany, Sweden and the United Kingdom. This book contributes to the ongoing discussion on the concept of quality of life, and theories and methods for studying it. The book also aims to give a new stimulus to the study of the effectiveness and efficiency of care, and to encourage further research on the topic of care-related quality of life.

Includes new instruments for evaluation of care

Autorentext

Marja Vaarama is Professor of Social Work and Social Gerontology at the University of Lapland, Finland. Her areas of research include quality of life in old age, quality and performance of long-term care for older people, gerontological social work, information technology for planning, evaluation and management of long term care for older people. She is the co-ordinator of the EU-funded Care Keys research project.

Richard Pieper is Professor of Urban Studies and Social Planning at the University of Bamberg, Germany. His main fields of research are in theory of social and regional integration and collective identity, and aging and technology, elderly care planning, and social and health care systems.

Andrew Sixsmith is Lecturer in Social Gerontology in the Department of Primary Care at the University of Liverpool. His current research interests focus on new technologies to facilitate the delivery of community health and welfare services.

Klappentext

It's a core issue at the heart of elder care: while best-practice data exist for long-term care, quality of life as a concept, measure and standard for care outcomes remains elusive. The result of an ambitious European research initiative, the Care Keys Project addresses quality of life issues among frail, care-dependent seniors, taking their social as well as health needs into account. Care-Related Quality of Life in Old Age explains the theory behind Care Keys, its methodology, empirical findings, and practical considerations in promoting effective, efficient elder care aimed at social and emotional well-being and including disabled and cognitively impaired patients. This important book:

• Brings together gerontological knowledge from medical, psychology, nursing, sociology, economics, and health care systems perspectives.

• Introduces an integrated theory of care-related quality of life that emphasizes social, emotional and mental aspects as well as physical longevity.

• Presents a practice oriented framework for quality management of long-term care toward improving elders' quality of life.

• Examines quality of life in home and long-term care settings across the five European member countries of Care Keys.

• Describes the Care Keys Toolkit, featuring innovative measures for monitoring and evaluating care and troubleshooting for problem areas.

  For those charged with improvements at any level of this vital areaadministrative, policy, research, professional, or studentthis volume will bring new insights and stimulation for potential answers on the complex challenges of elder health care.

  Inhalt
  Research Framework.- The General Framework and Methods of the Care Keys Research.- Instrumentation of the Care Keys Research.- Care Keys Data and Statistical Methods.- Theoretical Results.- The Concept of Care-Related Quality of Life.- The Concept of Quality of Long-Term Care.- Quality Management in Long-Term Care.- Empirical Results.- Subjective Quality of Life of Care-Dependent Older People in Five European Union Countries.- Quality of Life of Older Homecare Clients.- Quality of Life in Institutional Care.- Quality of Life and Dementia.- The Target Efficiency of CareModels and Analyses.- Quality Management and the Care Keys Quality Matrix.- The Care Keys Toolkit.- Summary.- Care-Related Quality of Life: An Overview.