Emergencies in Long-Term Care Services for the Elderly in Korea: A Mixed-Methods Study

This mixed-methods study explored ways to enhance the emergency response abilities of workers in long-term care services for the elderly. Based on different service types, we identify emergency situations and the response abilities of workers in long-term care services. Results indicated that there are more emergency situations in care facilities than in home care services. However, 71.3% of respondents in facilities said emergency response abilities were low compared to 44.2% of workers in home care services. Qualitative research identified six categories and 16 themes based on emotions experienced during emergencies and the challenges in determining solutions. The study confirms that there is a difference in emergency incidences and the coping abilities of workers in facilities and home services with high emergency incidence rates. Developing and applying guidelines for emergency response management by service type is recommended.