In the wake of Covid-19: How can the structure and quality of health and social care for older people with complex care needs in Sweden be improved?

This application concerns studies of shortcomings in the structure and quality of health and social care for older people with complex care needs in Sweden, illustrated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The proportion of people aged 80-years and older is increasing rapidly in Sweden, whereas the number of beds in care homes and hospitals decreases.

Hence, municipal home health care is expected to address the needs of the frailest older persons with multimorbidity and complex health and social care needs.

The studies form 3 work packages:1.Mapping and analysis of home health care among older persons in municipalities of Stockholm Region Aim: to map and analyse differences in the home health care provided to older persons in different municipalities in Stockholm Region, regarding its contents, physicians’ engagement in home healthcare and how the use of home health care is related to utilization of other health and social care.

Method: Statistical analyses of register data from multiple databases.2.The organization of care from the perspective of end-users (older people, their relatives) and care professionals, in two different regions of Sweden Aim: to examine the perceptions of older people, their family members, care professionals and nursing students regarding challenges related to a) the organisation of home care and care homes for older adults, and b) hesitancy to care homes and home care in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, in the regions of Stockholm and Dalarna.

Method: Focus groups with end-users, care workers and nursing students.3.Insights from other Nordic countries on how to organize services to improve health and social care among older persons Aim: to identify features in the organization of health and social care of older people in other Nordic countries of relevance to providing good and equitable care to older people with complex health and social care needs in Sweden.

Method: Policy analysis and semi-structured interviews with experts.