Older peoples' satisfaction with home-based dialysis.

BACKGROUND

The proportion of older people receiving dialysis is rapidly increasing. The typical choice for older patients is between home-based peritoneal dialysis (PD) and clinic-based haemodialysis (HD). Some centres have been successful in encouraging all patients - including older patients - to have home-based self-administered PD or HD.

AIM

To (i) describe the overall satisfaction with renal services among older patients dialysing, or in training, with HD or PD at home; and (ii) examine the relationship between residential distance from the nephrology unit and satisfaction with home-based dialysis.

METHODS

Participants were aged 60 years or more; and were either dialysing at home or training for dialysis at home. Two methods of cross-sectional data collection were used: (i) structured quantitative interviews with all participants; and (ii) qualitative interviews with a selected subgroup.

RESULTS

Participants comprised 45 patients on dialysis (94% of 48 eligible). Their average age was 68 years. Duration of dialysis averaged 28 months (range 3-150 months). Ratings of 'very good or excellent' were reported for dialysis treatment by 40 (89%) patients. Patients on dialysis, despite experiencing frustration with dialysis itself, expressed satisfaction across four categories: staff, information provision, involvement in decision-making and confidence in managing dialysis. Dissatisfaction was infrequent.

CONCLUSION

This pilot study suggests that older patients trained to dialyse at home using PD or HD are highly satisfied with the nephrology service - even when living remote from the nephrology unit. Home-based dialysis is possible in older patients with levels of comorbidity and disease severity as serious as elsewhere.