Äldre, alkohol och omsorgsbehov: Biståndshandläggare om arbetet med äldre personer med missbruksproblem

AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate how care managers went about in their work with older people living at home and having alcohol abuse problems. METHOD: Six focus group interviews and one interview with two participants were carried out. In total, 23 care managers from five different municipalities participated. RESULTS: The care managers all stressed the fact that within home care, no addiction treatment was conducted. The role of home care was to provide good care helping older people in their everyday lives irrespective of their problems. The care managers had to push the limits for the available services to be able to help older people with alcohol abuse problems. The services offered are however strictly regulated in guidelines. Many older people with alcohol abuse problems were not interested in receiving home care, and they were seldom interested in having contact with the addiction unit. The self-determination of older people in need of home care is strongly stressed in legislation. If the older person did not want any help, there was not much the care managers could do. CONCLUSIONS: Since older people today drink more alcohol than earlier generations, there is a need for services and addiction treatment specifically directed at older people with alcohol abuse problems suitable for their needs.