Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39799959›Full record

Observational studyAustralasian journal on ageing2025

Characteristics, care and support needs of older Victorians requiring a government-funded Home Care Package: An observational study.

Rachel McKittrick, Liliana Orellana, Elizabeth Manias, Martin Hensher, Alison M Hutchinson

Abstract readObservational Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in Australasian journal on ageing, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Will 'Support at Home' Deliver What Older People Want?Australasian journal on ageing · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Observational
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Rachel McKittrickSchool of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2208-1716
Liliana OrellanaBiostatistics Unit, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3736-4337
Elizabeth ManiasMonash Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Science, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3747-0087
Martin HensherMenzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6444-6827
Alison M HutchinsonSchool of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5065-2726

Funding

Australian College of NursingAustralian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (Victorian Branch)Deakin University
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo describe sociodemographic characteristics and comprehensive day-to-day care and support needs of older Victorians requiring government-funded home-based aged-care, and to explore associations between vulnerability factors and complexity indicators in this population.

methodsA population-based observational study was conducted using de-identified, routinely collected aged-care assessment data for Victorians approved for a Home Care Package (HCP) between January 2019 and June 2022.

resultsThe study population (n = 94,975 individuals), approved for one of four HCP levels (Levels 1 (5%), 2 (38%), 3 (34%) or 4 (24%)), was aged 82 years on average (SD 7.6), commonly born outside Australia (48%), with people of higher socio-economic status more likely to be approved for a high-level HCP. Advanced care and support needs such as for showering (53%) and dressing (43%) were common, with higher overall needs when cognitive and behavioural concerns such as short-term memory loss (75%) or agitation (21%) were present. 79% reported at least one vulnerability factor such as being socially isolated, culturally and linguistically diverse, or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and 49% reported at least one complexity indicator. The three most prevalent complexity indicators were significant cognitive changes (29%), self-neglect (17%) and emotional/mental health issues (11%), which were generally positively associated with vulnerability factors.

conclusionsThis population-based study provides evidence of the diverse sociodemographics, and often advanced day-to-day mobility, functional, physical, cognitive, behavioural, psychological and psychosocial care and support needs of people requiring home-based aged-care. It also highlights the multifaceted complexities within this population. Results could inform home care service-delivery models and workforce skill-mix requirements to efficiently and safely meet these needs.

Indexed as

Financing, GovernmentHealth Services for the AgedHealth Services Needs and DemandHome Care ServicesNeeds AssessmentAgedAged, 80 and overAge FactorsFemaleHumansMaleVictoriaVulnerable Populationsagedhealth services for the agedhealth workforcehome care servicesneeds assessment

Identifiers

PMID39799959
PMCPMC11903932

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.