Abstract
Purpose : To determine the background the patients or the care-giver who need home care visiting services and to examine the support activities needed for users of home care. Subjects and Methods : Thirty users of home care visiting services aged 60 years or above and his/her families were studied. Investigation was performed using a semi-constructive questionnaire. For eight subjects whose interviews were conducted within 6 months of his/her start of home care visiting services, the following items were additionally examined : i) the events encountered until the start of use of home care visiting services, ii) the background for use of home care visiting services, and iii) the mental conflict of families until they decide to use home care visiting service. Results : The persons recommending use of home care visiting services were physicians and nurses among hospital-related personnel, and the family doctor and nursing care managers among the home-related persons. The events that triggered the use of home care visiting services were necessity of medical treatment and reduced ability of the patients to move. Conclusion : It is suggested that a proper understanding of the patients' medical condition by the physicians, nurses, nursing care managers, family doctors, and visiting nurses, and sharing of the patients' information among these personnel, including the patients' families, are important supports needed for proper use of home care visiting services.
