Focus on the micro-relationship in the delivery of care

Abstract

• Recent reports have expressed concerns over the quality of care delivery in care settings and the homes of older people. This study
• followed 30 older people who had recently been discharged from hospital and were in the transition from re- ablement services to home care. The study focused on the non-clinical elements of care delivery (interpersonal relationships) and what the older patient felt was important in the delivery of their care.
• This was a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews to gather data on the interpersonal processes involved in the delivery of intimate care to vulnerable older patients. Three key themes were developed as to what the older patient felt was important for good-quality care. These were:
• The need for social interaction beyond the delivery of clinical
• healthcare tasks
• The need for consistent care staff in order to develop
• a working relationship
The need for the older patient to feel they had some control
• over how their care was delivered.
• In sum, the patients needed to feel they were working with the
• care staff rather than purely having the care done to them