cross-cultural home health care research

[V SPN]

Hi!,

My clasmates and I are currently working on a presentation for a nursing management class involving a local home health care agency. My piece of it is cross-cultrural contexts, i.e. how do they do it in Europe, Asia, etc.

My assumtion from what I've heard is that in other cultures, family members take care of their own.

That nursing homes and home health care services are a uniquely American.

I don't know if this is true and if it is to what extent.

My searches on the net have resulted in sites trying to sell care insurance, advice on how to deal with our govement programs, and stateside care agencies.

I (we) would most appreciate any referral to a site or journal that disscusses cultural or sociological aspects of home health care.

Many many thanks,

V SPN (Acually I'm now a SRN)

[Mags]

Hi,

Home health care + nursing homes play a huge part of care in the U.K.

Don't ever assume anything - "Assume" makes an ass out of u + me!

Not sure of any specific sites to get the info you want, you could try the U K. Royal College of Nursing website, or look for some evidence based practice sites.

[jayna, RN]

Hi, iam from the south pacific, but now working in asia.

Well, in my country and here (southeast asia), there is no such thing as home care. The elderly were looked after by the relatives, the elderly were respected or they are the respectable people in the commmunity.

This is a cultural thing, the relatives looking after their elderly relatives. Ask me some question.

[Mags]

Hi,

A couple of sites that may help

http://WWW.Internurse.com/ Site for Mark Allen publications. includes several British Journals in community/ residential care. You will have to pay to access articles unless your faculty is registered with them.

http://WWW.doh.gov.u.k/ Offfficial U>K. government site that sets out plans for care of the elderly in the U.K.

[Bozo180]

Nursing Homes / Aged Care Facilities are by no means unique to the USA. They are very common in Australia and are relied upon by the greater percentage of the population for the care of elderly loved ones.

Not so long ago these facilities in Oz were largely funded by the federal and state governments. In the last ten years or so there has been a swing in the funding of such facilities to being corporately or privately owned.

In the last 12 months there as been a marked cut in government funding which has seen the closure of countless homes. There have been a few "scandles" in regards to decreased levels of care received by residents as a direct result of these budget cuts. The knock-on effect has been longer hospital stays which leads to delayed admissions and an effect on the wider community.

However, Nursing Home care still exists in Australia as the main form of care to the elderley and disabled. In my assessment it will do exist for years to come.

Hope this helps. Any questions, let me know.

Bozo

[semstr]

Hi,

same here in Austria (where we have no kangerus, LOL)

Most of the places are federal or town (how do you call that officialy?) owned.

But there are a lot of budgetcuts here too and there are more and more private places opening.

also a lot of places owned by the catholic church (called Caritas Sozialis here)

So it looks like a worldwide thing doesn't it??

Take care, Renee

[V SPN]

Thankx for all your comments, insights, and web sites.

My original assumption was that because we Americans are such an independent lot, compared to more family oriented cultures, that there might be a difference.

This doesn't seem to be the case. What does seem to be the case is that the developed nations have this problem of an increasingly aged population, but the developing nations do not.

A representative from Cuba at a World Health Organization meeting said, in effect, 'What are you guys talking about?! Most of the world is trying to get its life expectancy past 45 years! Geriatric home care issues indeed!'

Just in case anyone wanted to know.

So I'm following that path to see where it will lead.

v-

[sanfranNP]

Home Health is not just for the elderly - witness the situation in countries that have been hard hit by the AIDS epidemic (including the US).

Family members frequently don't want to care for these folks due to the stigma. As a result countries with resources e.g. South Africa have had to scramble to develop hospices/ home health providers to fill in the gaps.

Jayna states that in Southeast Asia the relatives care for the elderly - do they do the same for those with AIDS?

Melissa

[suzanne4, RN]

I live in Bangkok, and for the patients with AIDS, who actually have any family left, they are taken care of home alot. Over here, families live together, it is very common to see four generations in the same home, and sometimes five. Many times you see elderly grandparents caring for the grandchildren because the parents have died of AIDS or something else. There are some nursing homes, but most peole are cared for at home. Even if they need caregivers to come in to assist the family, that is done.