Partnership between healthcare professionals and family members in caring for older people during hospitalization: a literature review

Abstract

Purpose

Partnership is both a goal and an approach to family-centered care (FCC). Family members play an important role alongside the health-care team when an older family member is admitted to the hospital. Family involvement in care for an older person forms a partnership approach where health professionals and the family engage collaboratively in care. This enhances the quality of care and family satisfaction with care. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the potential areas of partnerships of family members with health-care professionals while caring for older people based on the perspective of FCC.

Design/methodology/approach

A literature review was carried out.

Findings

The findings of this study focus on how healthcare professionals can listen to, respect the perspectives of family members, and share useful information with the family while caring for an older person. Family participation in providing care and collaboration between healthcare professionals and families is a seminal goal strategy in caring for older people during hospitalization. It is helpful to family members as a way of training and preparing them to assist their loved one after hospital discharge. Furthermore, it can establish a good relationship between healthcare professionals and families.

Originality/value

Partnership between health-care professionals and families helps and supports the older people and the family in managing the health condition the following discharge from the hospital.

Citation

Tabootwong, W. and Kiwanuka, F. (2020), "Partnership between healthcare professionals and family members in caring for older people during hospitalization: a literature review", Working with Older People, Vol. 24 No. 2, pp. 137-142. https://doi.org/10.1108/WWOP-02-2020-0008