Finding their voice: how do consumers experience a community-based transition care programme?

BACKGROUND: Community-based programmes exist to support older people and their caregivers remaining out of hospital on discharge. Little is known about how consumers of a community-based programme perceive the different components provided during community TCP. AIM: To explore how older people and caregivers perceive how a transition care programme (community-based TCP) influenced older people staying at home following hospital discharge. Secondly, to assess if experience of TCP could be explained by the person-centred care model (PCC). METHODS: Both (i) older people and (ii) caregivers were interviewed at a single metropolitan health setting. Experiences leaving hospital, the challenges, and the TCP components identified that supported or hindered consumers to remain at home were explored. Thematic content analysis was used to examine the two consumer groups separately. Secondarily, a mapping exercise assessed if PCC could be identified during analysis. FINDINGS: Fifteen interviews (older people (n = 8), caregivers (n = 7)) were conducted between April 2019 and January 2021. There were seven older people themes including, (i) Limited understanding of TCP content, (ii) Things are different once home, (iii) Developing action plans for continence care, (v) Developing action plans for walking. Three caregiver themes including, (i) Challenges with the discharge home on many fronts, (ii) Getting the right resources in the right way, were found. Most thematic sub-groups could be mapped to PCC constructs (6/9 (67%) caregiver, 5/9 (56%) older people). Health and social care resources are acknowledged, particularly equipment and information access, however gaps exist in how TCP fully aligns with PCC, according to consumers.