Experiences of older people with dementia: Homecare enablement to support transitions in daily life at home

Introduction The majority of people with dementia live at home. Homecare enablement services are considered an important short-term intervention, using a person-centred approach. Little is known about people with dementia’s perspectives of the services. This study aimed to explore the users’ experiences. Method Following ethical approval, participants who had recently used homecare enablement services were invited to participate in two semi-structured interviews through homecare enablement services’ teams within a local authority. Interviews focused on people with dementia’s narratives of the impact of homecare enablement services on their daily functioning. Overall findings were taken back to the participants at the follow-up interviews for member checking. Interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed and analysed using grounded theory. Findings Sixteen participants with dementia and eight carers took part. Three key themes were revealed: the meaning of enablement in later life; homecare enablement services as instrumental to support transitions in daily life; and enablement through activity engagement in everyday life. Conclusion The scope of homecare enablement services is evolving to meet the requirements of the Care Act of 2014 and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines. Services’ improvements and redesign must consider the viewpoints of people with dementia.