Older Adults’ Experience of a Mobile Geriatric Team

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine older adults’ experience of receiving medical and care efforts from a Mobile Geriatric Team (MGT). A phenomenologically inspired approach guides this study to stay empirically close to the data while exploring the experiences of five older adults with comorbidity receiving medical and care efforts from a MGT. Three themes emerged from the interviews: The relief of integrated treatment, Reclaiming time from the emergency room, and Finding sanctuary at home. The findings reveal that older adults particularly valued the MGT’s comprehensive view of their medical history and medication, highlighting how this holistic approach provided significant comfort. Participants also emphasized the relief brought by staff continuity and the ability to receive acute medical treatments in the familiarity of their own homes, thereby avoiding the stress and inconvenience of emergency room visits. While reducing emergency room visits was a stated goal of the MGT, this study distinctively illuminates the profound positive impact of this outcome from the older adults’ perspective. These findings demonstrate a project successfully aligning with initiatives for good, close, and coordinated care, ultimately promoting health and well-being for older adults.