‘It would nearly put the life back into you’ Older adults’ experiences of a Community Specialist Team for Older People (CSTOP) service model in Ireland: A Qualitative Descriptive Study

Introduction:
In Ireland, there has been a substantial recent investment in the Community Specialist Team for Older People (CST OP) service model. This approach provides timely integrated assessment and intervention for older adults in the community by a specialist multidisciplinary team. To inform the ongoing development and refinement of the CST OP service model, and ensure it is responsive to the needs and preferences of older adults, it is important to understand how older adults experience this new model of care. This qualitative descriptive study aims to resolve a research gap by exploring older adults’ experiences of the CST OP service model.

Methods:
A qualitative descriptive study design was employed to explore older adults’ experiences of the CST OP service model. Purposive non-probability sampling was used to recruit 13 older adults who had completed intervention with a CST OP intervention. All interviews were completed in participants own homes, audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. A reflexive approach to thematic analysis guided data analysis.

Findings:
Three themes were identified; older adults were uncertain about what to expect from the CST OP service and encountered accessibility barriers (theme1); the CST OP team provided coordinated, comprehensive care and built strong relationships with older adults (theme 2); CST OP intervention enabled older adults to better manage everyday activities and long-term conditions, thereby improving their wellbeing (theme 3).

Discussion/ conclusion:
Our findings highlight the importance of CGA in community-based care for older adults. Further research is needed to address access barriers and evaluate older adults’ experiences with case management and care coordination in the CST OP service model.