Community services in the 1990s: are they meeting the needs of caregivers?

The community-based, long-term care system not only sustains the older person in the community but also helps to maintain him or her at the highest level of functioning possible. A broad spectrum of services exists, including personal care, transportation, home-delivered meals, adult day care, and respite care. One hundred sixty-eight primary caregivers were were interviewed regarding awareness of, inquiry into, utilization of, and satisfaction with community services during the caregiving period. The majority of caregivers were aware of and utilized 7 of the 15 services listed, including personal care services, home-delivered meals, rehabilitation services, housekeeping services, nursing services, and information referral services. Nurses remain the key individuals in providing linkages among elderly and their families and community-based services. One of the key roles that nurses can play is to inform caregivers about available community services, to help caregivers recognize the need for these services, to assist them in accessing these services, and to recognize their need for support during this process. Finally, the community nurse can also provide support to the caregiver when institutionalization of the older family member becomes a reality.