Table 1 Independent and dependent variables
Independent Variables = Need Characteristics | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Categories | Questions | Possible answers | Dichotomization |
How often did it recently happen that… | |||
How often did it recently happen that… | |||
Emotional distress | …you felt that your relatives were overextended or stressed out? | never | |
…you were concerned that your family caregiver will not be able to provide the same care as nowadays? | very rarely | ||
…you waited a long time for help or support? | |||
Social isolation | …you felt lonely or left alone? | ||
…you missed contact to other people or personal conversations? | sometimes | ||
Emergency situations | …you were frightened that there could be a medical emergency situation? | often | |
…you feared that you are unable to call for help in case of emergency? | |||
Hospital stay | Have you, as a care recipient, been in the hospital overnight in the last 12 months? | no | |
yes, once | |||
yes, twice | |||
yes, more than twice | |||
Length of stay | How long have you been at the hospital for the past 12 months? | less than one week | |
up to two weeks | |||
two to four weeks | |||
more than four weeks | |||
Pressure sore | Have you ever had a pressure sore? | yes | |
no | |||
Caregiver | How do you assess the health of your primary caregiver? | bad | |
less well | |||
good | |||
very good | |||
excellent | |||
Dependent Variables = Services | |||
Services | Explanations | ||
Nursing service | A nursing service offers professional support in personal care, nutrition, and domestic care | I already use it | use |
→ utilization | |||
Counseling | Counseling can be offered by nursing services, hospital/healthcare insurance, or from community care access centers. It can also take place in the home environment. | I don’t use, but I want to use it | |
no use | |||
Training and Guidance | Training and guidance for care recipients and their family caregivers are provided by nursing services, health/care funds – also possible at home | → potential future use | |
Day care | At the day center, the day care recipients are cared for in a facility. A pick-up and delivery service is organized as well as meals/food. | I don’t use it and I don’t want to use it | |
Short-term care | Short-term care is the temporary (maximum of four weeks per year) move to a short-term care facility, for example after a hospital stay, or in case the family care person is not available for a particular time period. | ||
→ rejection | |||
I don’t know what this is | |||
Mobile Services | Mobile services bring drinks, food, or other purchases directly to your home, e.g. meals on wheels. | ||
→ not informed | |||
Self-help groups | This is where relatives of care recipients meet for (regular) exchange. | ||