The sustainability of adult care at home in Turkey

Abstract

This presentation includes the difficulties encountered in-home care for older people in Turkey and solutions developed to overcome these difficulties. Because the population in Turkey is getting older, the care needs are increasing. The families of the older people cover a significant part of the older people’s care at home. However, since the care period for older people is prolonged, the caregiver’s family members may experience financial and moral difficulties. This situation reduces the likelihood that older people will receive quality care.

This research, supported by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey [TUBITAK] and conducted at the Centre for International Research on Care, Labour & Equalities [CIRCLE], aims to contribute to the quality and sustainability of home care in Turkey through the good practices of home care in Sheffield. In this context, recommendations based on UK good practices have been developed for use in home care in Turkey. As a result, it has been concluded that local governments and non-governmental organizations should take more responsibility for the sustainability of home care in Turkey. E-Government [e-Devlet] and Life Fit into Home [Hayat Eve Sığar] applications should be developed to identify the problems of older people and enable them to access services more efficiently. Digitalization offers essential opportunities for the sustainability of home care for older people. Telemedicine and telecare services should be used more in-home care for the r people by taking advantage of the increasing digitalization after the pandemic.

Speaker biography

Dr Hamza Kurtkapan is an Associate Professor in Sociology at the Nevsehir Hacı Bektas Veli University, Turkey. Dr Kurtkapan received his doctorate from Istanbul University and spent time as a researcher at the University of Western Ontario Sociology department and at Istanbul University. He has been an academic visitor at CIRCLE, supported by a scholarship from The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK), since October 2021. Dr Kurtkapan’s primary research interests lie in the sociology of ageing, intergeneration relations and social care. He is also interested in the social life of older people. These interests stem from his doctorate thesis topic: ‘Aging within urbanisation process and local government administrations: Istanbul case’ in the Sociology Department at the University of Istanbul in 2017.

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