Met and unmet needs of dependent older people according to the Camberwell Assessment of Need for the Elderly (CANE): A scoping review

Abstract

In order to address the complexity of needs of dependent older people, multidimensional and person-centered needs assessment is required. The objective of this review is to describe met and unmet needs of dependent older people, living in the community or in institutions, and the factors associated with those needs. Selection criteria included papers about need asessment which employed the Camberwell Assesment of Need for the Elderly (CANE). A search through MEDLINE, SCOPUS, WOS and CINHAL databases was carried out. Twenty-one articles were finally included. Unmet needs were found more frequently in psychosocial areas (mainly in “company”, “daytime activities” and “psychological distress”) and in institutionalized population. In addition, unmet needs were often associated with depressive symptoms, dependency, and caregiver burden. Discrepancies between self-reported needs and needs perceived by formal and informal caregivers were identified. It is important that professionals and caregivers try to make visible the perspective of older people and their psychological and social needs, particularly when the person is dependent, depressed or cognitively impaired.

Resumen

Se requieren evaluaciones multidimensionales y centradas en la persona que aborden adecuadamente las necesidades de la población mayor que precisa de cuidados. El objetivo de esta revisión es describir las necesidades cubiertas y no cubiertas, y los factores asociados con las mismas, en personas mayores dependientes que viven en la comunidad o en instituciones, de acuerdo con el Cuestionario Camberwell de Necesidades para Personas Mayores. Se emplearon las bases de datos Medline, Scopus, Web of Science y CINAHL. Finalmente se incluyeron 21 artículos. Los resultados indican que las necesidades no cubiertas se encuentran mayormente en áreas psicosociales («compañía», «actividades diarias» y «malestar psicológico») y en población institucionalizada. Las necesidades no cubiertas suelen asociarse con síntomas depresivos y dependencia en la persona mayor y sobrecarga del cuidador. Se identificaron discrepancias entre las necesidades percibidas por la persona mayor y las señaladas por cuidadores formales e informales. Finalmente, es importante que los profesionales y cuidadores se esfuercen en visibilizar la perspectiva de la persona mayor y sus necesidades psicológicas y sociales, especialmente si presenta dependencia, depresión o deterioro cognitivo.