The Gerontologist
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
 QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     


This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Malmberg, B.
Right arrow Articles by Zarit, S. H.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Malmberg, B.
Right arrow Articles by Zarit, S. H.
The Gerontologist 43:761-765 (2003)
© 2003 The Gerontological Society of America

Angels of the Night: Evening and Night Patrols for Homebound Elders in Sweden

Bo Malmberg, PhD1,2,, Marie Ernsth, MA1, Birgitta Larsson, MA1 and Steven H. Zarit, PhD1,3

Correspondence: Address correspondence to Bo Malmberg, Institute of Gerontology, Box 1026, SE-551 11 Jönköping, Sweden. E-mail: bo.malmberg{at}hhj.hj.se

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the work of evening and night home care patrols in Swedish old-age care by examining how staff members view their work and the specific work content. Design and Methods: The authors developed two questionnaires: one that was to be answered jointly by the patrol teams, and one to be completed by each individual member of a team. All patrols in the municipality of Jönköping, Sweden, were asked to participate. Results: The most frequent kind of help provided by evening and night patrols involves personal care, but help with medications and injections are also frequent. The staff reported that it is becoming more common for the patrols to assist people with terminal illnesses. The patrols also increasingly assist people with psychiatric problems. The staff feels that the job may be becoming too diverse and that they need further education for the range of tasks they are asked to perform. Implications: The patrols are very flexible in the services provided. Without the patrols, the staff members believe that many persons would have to leave their homes to go to institutions.

Key Words: Home care • Community long-term care • Alternatives to institutionalization







HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
All GSA journals Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences
Copyright © 2003 by The Gerontological Society of America.