Older peoples' personal care needs: an analysis of care provision: care provision and the roles of key healthcare personnel.

Aims and Objectives.  The study aimed to investigate and evaluate the provision of personal care for older patients within the acute care setting. Specific objectives included: (i) exploration of older peoples' perceptions of personal care provision; (ii) evaluation of nursing documentation related to personal cleansing and dressing care; (iii) identification of personnel responsible for personal cleansing and dressing care; (iv) identification of personal cleansing and dressing ward facilities; (v) development of a tool for use in the assessment and planning of personal hygiene and dressing care. Background.  The maintenance of individual hygiene and dressing needs are key activities of living and constitute important aspects of personal care. This is an area of care which to date has attracted limited empirical enquiry. This paper reports on the findings from an evaluation study which sought to examine key aspects of personal care provision. Design.  A quantitative multi-method research design was adopted. Methods.  The methods used included patient interviews (n = 20), documentary analysis (n = 100) and a review of ward facilities (n = 5). Data were analysed using descriptive and non-parametric statistics. Results.  Data suggest little patient involvement in decision-making regarding the provision of personal care. Documentary analysis highlighted limited assessment and care planning related to this key aspect of care. The key role of healthcare assistants in meeting personal care needs was highlighted and results indicated diversity in the availability of ward facilities. Conclusion.  Inadequacies in the provision of personal care for older patients in the acute care setting are highlighted. While state-of-the-art ward facilities are desirable, they are not the determining factor in quality personal care. The key role of healthcare assistants in personal care provision is emphasized. A more structured approach to the assessment and planning of personal care is recommended. Relevance to clinical practice.  A more individualized and person-centered approach to personal care is required. To facilitate this, a systematic assessment of personal hygiene and dressing needs is recommended using a structured format (Personal Hygiene and Dressing Chart) in order to address older peoples' needs related to this key activity during hospital stay.