What Social and Therapeutic Services Should a Day Hospice Provide for Patients? A Cohort Study from the Perspective of Patients and Their Relatives

BACKGROUND:Day hospices are a new type of specialized outpatient palliative care facility. Recommendations regarding the exact structure of day hospices are heterogeneous. OBJECTIVES:This study aimed to evaluate the content and social and therapeutic services offered by day hospices from the perspective of patients and their relatives. DESIGN AND SETTING:This cohort study was conducted as part of the IMPULS study, a quality-assured investigation of day hospices guided by the Medical Research Council Framework for the Development and Evaluation of Complex Interventions. PARTICIPANTS:The study included patients (guests of a single day hospice versus non-guests) and their relatives to evaluate a day hospice in Germany. PROCEDURES:The TGHS11 and TGHS14 questionnaires were used at three time points in time. RESULTS:Patients (n = 58) and their relatives (n = 14) rated the content and services offered by a single day hospice as positive, particularly the nursing staff, physiotherapy, walks, and foot care (each rated 4-5 out of 5). Conversations with other guests and nursing staff and shared meals were the most important social activities (each rated 3.5-5 out of 5). Social contact/support, nursing, and health care were the main reasons for visiting the day hospice. Additionally, relatives cited their relief as a reason. CONCLUSIONS:From the perspective of day hospice guests and their relatives, social contact with nursing staff and other guests, nursing care, and mobility-promoting treatments are important core elements of day hospices. Other services and content are tailored to individual preferences and appear as optional extras.