An exploration of experts’ perceptions on the use of interprofessional education to support collaborative practice in the care of community-living older adults

Abstract

Globally, as older adults are living longer and with more chronic conditions, there is a need to support their ability to age optimally in their homes and communities. Community-based interprofessional teams working closely with these older adults, their families, and informal caregivers will be instrumental in achieving this goal. Interprofessional education (IPE) is the means through which these teams can develop expertise in collaboratively working together with older adults. However, most IPE occurs in academic settings, and acute and long-term care sectors and little is known about IPE in the context of home and community care of older adults. The purpose of this study was to describe perceptions of academic and practice experts related to the current state of IPE in home and community care of older adults and the changes that are necessary to meet the future needs of practitioners and older adults. Using a qualitative descriptive design, interviews were conducted with 32 national and international key informants representing practitioners, educators, researchers, and health system decision-makers in the field of IPE. Thematic analysis of the data identified six themes: (a) client and family-centred care at the core of IPE, (b) the community as a unique learning setting across the learning continuum; (c) an aging-relevant IPE curriculum; (d) faculty commitment and resources for IPE; (e) technological innovation to support IPE; and (f) comprehensive IPE programme evaluation and research. These findings are explored through the lens of an interprofessional learning continuum model. The article concludes with a discussion of the study implications for IPE practice and research specifically in the care of community-living older adults.

International priorities for home care education, research, practice, and management: Qualitative content analysis

“…For example, participants universally described a need for home care specific education and expanding the evidence-base to support home care nursing (Campbell-Yeo, et al, 2014;Dodzo & Mhloyi, 2017;Oltra-Rodríguez, et. al., 2017;Ploeg, et al, 2017). When compared to other sites of care like hospitals and nursing homes, there is a dearth of evidence for practice in home care.…”

Does social support effect knowledge and diabetes self-management practices in older persons with Type 2 diabetes attending primary care clinics in Cape Town, South Africa?

“…When DSMP is reviewed as a shared responsibility with the whole family, older persons may adopt DSMP activities more easily and feel more self-confident in managing diabetes [52]. As family-focused interventions may be more effective in improving DSMP performance than individual-focused interventions, including family members or friends in education programmes should be considered [53][54][55][56].…”

“…However, the shortage of professional health care workers in South Africa highlights the need to develop alternative delivery models for education and self-management for people with diabetes who attend primary care services. These include using the services of community health workers (CHWs) and peer supporters and should draw on previous lessons learnt [56]. For example, while a pragmatic trial of a group diabetes education programme led by health promoters in Cape Town improved blood pressure, but not self-efficacy, locus of control or glycaemia control; process evaluation suggested numerous problems.…”

In-service training programme for health and social care workers in the Philippines to strengthen interprofessional collaboration in caring for older adults: a mixed-methods study

“…The need for geriatric care is increasing rapidly in the Asia–Pacific region [ 1 ]. Considering the complex health and social care needs of older adults, it is critical to organize professionals from different disciplines to plan, coordinate and deliver care across all levels of the health system [ 2 ].…”