Investigation of needs assessment processes primarily according to section 83 of the Service Act for vulnerable elderly people with substance use and need for practical and personal help, with a focus on relatives or the absence of relatives' importance in processes and which interventions are granted and can be implemented.

Aim

There is a need for increased focus on and more knowledge about how senior citizens with substance use are handled in needs assessment processes and what role next-of-kin play. This project aims to broaden knowledge of these processes.

Background

Senior citizens with an overuse of intoxicants are significantly overrepresented in relation to inequality in health. Their health status is poorer than average, they have more contacts with the healthcare system, and they are challenged in other areas. Treatment of chronic conditions and other health challenges faced by ageing substance users has become more effective in recent years, so many people are living longer. This also means that they increasingly come into contact with the health and care system in new ways, e.g. with home nurses and nursing homes relatively early, because they are significantly weakened in age before other elderly people. The complexity of their challenges often also extends beyond somatics, e.g. psychiatry and the social area, which is why a care and nursing effort should also ideally include cross-sectoral collaborations.

The project

In a case study of a needs assessment department in a medium-sized municipality, which works primarily with section 83 of the Social Services Act, we have reviewed a number of pseudonymized citizen cases and conducted interviews with case assessors and other municipal health professionals about general needs assessment processes, interfaces, citizens with substance use and examples from cases.

The project runs from September 2023 to January 2025.

Cooperation

The project has been developed and run by the Centre for Alcohol and Drug Research in collaboration with the participating municipality.

Funding

The project is funded by Helsefonden.