Home visitations by trained volunteers : effect on the status of isolated clients in home health care

This study evaluated the effect of home visitations by trained volunteers on the health status of isolated clients in home health care. The effect on health status was evaluated quantitatively and descriptively in terms of the Federally mandated goal of home health care, "...to preserve present capabilities and prevent further deterioration." The Client Assessment Scale was used as the dependent variable for the quantitative component. A questionnaire, completed by home health nurses, and feedback from group meetings with nurses and volunteers were used to gather descriptive information.

Three groups of clients were studied; (1) experimental (n=8), (2) control-for-involvement (nn

No significant differences were found between pre- and post-intervention health status for clients in the experimental or no-visit control groups. Significant differences were found in the areas of sociability, cluster III, and total score for the control-for-involvement group. No significant differences were found between groups on the pre-intervention ratings. A significant difference was found in sociability on the post-intervention between-groups comparison. In the area of sociability both the experimental and control-for-involvement groups were significantly higher than for the no-visit control group. No difference on sociability was found between the experimental group and the control-for-involvement group. Information from questionnaires and group meetings was consistent with quantitative findings.

The study demonstrated that volunteer visitations by trained volunteers and by volunteers who involve clients in activities are beneficial to the sociability status of isolated clients in home health care. It is concluded that volunteer visitations may, by improving client sociability, be an effective strategy for increasing the length of time clients are able to remain in their own homes rather than being hospitalized or placed in a nursing home and thereby lower the overall cost of health care.