Individuality in delivering older people’s home care and services: An integrative review

Individuality is an ethical value and a focus in achieving quality outcomes for both older people and professionals through person-centred care. This integrative review aimed to identify and synthesise previous research on individuality in delivering older people's home care and services. We conducted systematic searches in CINAHL, PubMed, SocIndex, and Web of Science databases on empirical studies published in English (1/2012 - 2/2024). Out of 1596 records, 23 studies were included in the review. Based on this review, individuality is a prerequisite for older people to pursue a meaningful life and receive tailored care at home. It relies on older people expressing individuality, voicing self-determination in their care, and the structures of home care and services prioritising individuality. Further research is needed into how individuality can be supported and delivered in home care and services, and how delivery can be evaluated and developed to respect the individuality of older people.