Factors Influencing the Implementation of Unaccompanied Care for Older Inpatients in Chinese Tertiary Hospitals: A Qualitative Study

作者：Yaping He, Ruilian Li, Taofang Jiao, Chunyu Liu, Ying Chen, Li Li · 发表于：Patient Preference and Adherence · 年份：2026 · DOI：10.2147/ppa.s564683 · 被引用次数：3 · 研究领域：Intergenerational Family Dynamics and Caregiving、Healthcare Systems and Reforms、Geriatric Care and Nursing Homes

Background: In China, tertiary hospitals are piloting an "unaccompanied care" model in which trained care attendants, instead of constantly present family caregivers, provide 24-hour bedside and daily living care for older inpatients under nurses' supervision. This hospital-based service aims to relieve family caregiving shortages and advance integrated care but remains non-standardised and faces major implementation challenges. Objective: Guided by a social-ecological framework, this study examined the multilevel factors influencing the implementation of unaccompanied care and generated evidence to inform the optimization of service design, risk communication with family members, and the allocation of staffing and financial resources. Methods: We used a qualitative descriptive design with a phenomenological orientation. Using purposive sampling with maximum variation, we recruited 36 participants: 21 older inpatients and family caregivers and 15 healthcare professionals (administrators, clinicians, nurses) and staff from companion-care companies. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted between November 2024 and January 2025 and analysed using Colaizzi's seven-step method. Results: A total of five main themes and 15 sub-themes were identified: personal cognition, economy, and triple constraints; interpersonal support and interaction; organization resource integration and driving; social environment constraints and demands; public policy support and pr...