Abstract
Purpose: This study aimed to investigate emergency care needs of terminally elderly in home care.
Method: The subjects were terminally elderly who died in the 2003 and 2004 calendar years. We divided elderly into two groups, elderly with cancer (Group A, 112) and elderly with diseases other than cancer (Group B, 119), and investigated the reason for each emergency call and emergency visit by a visiting nurse, analyzing interventions according to the terminal home care stage (Introductory, Stability, and Near-death phases) and service needs involved.
Result: The average age at death and duration of care were 79 years (SD 8.4) and 34 days in Group A, 86.6 years (SD 7.9) and 185 days in Group B. Emergency calls and visits were made 3.3 times and 2.2 times per elderly in Group A and 3.5 times and 2.7 times in Group B. In both A and B Groups, adverse changes in elderly's physical symptoms were the most frequent reason for these interventions and the family's psychological care was consistently needed throughout the care process. Distinctive needs were found for pain control in Group A and for care techniques by family in Group B.
Conclusion: From the above, the care, prevention and care system for emergency needs by stages are considered to be required in terminal care of the home-care elderly.
