M.A. / The challenge of HIV/AIDS is a global issue, instead of decreasing the number of people infected with the disease the number is increasing. Fortunately we have men and women who are volunteers to fight the increase of this pandemic. These heroes are the voluntary caregivers who are the mainstay of people with AIDS. However the fact that the caregivers suffer from loneliness and social isolation related to stigma and discrimination cannot be ignored. Voluntary caregivers can benefit form the opportunity to express basic emotions concerning, financial, emotional and physical issues and open line of communication should be in place. Providing an avenue foe emotional expression may enhance both physical and mental health to voluntary AIDS Caregivers. The qualitative study undertaken to explore the experiences of AIDS patients and their families regarding the home based care as service delivery. An explorative and qualitative design was used to determine the experiences of the AIDS caregivers, and aids patients concerning the support that they receive. AIDS patients and the families were selected from the organisations that are funded by the Department of Social Development in the Free State, Bloemfontein area. Pilot study was conducted prior to the commencement of the study comprising of ten participants in each group. Participants were requested to give information during the interviews. Data was collected and analysed and it was in followed by the literature control. The findings did not differ significantly in emotional and social aspects. The researcher drew conclusion and recommendations. Limitations were discussed. / Dr. Oliphant Ms. A. Vermeulen / M.A.

This study explores the medical services based on the ICT technologies such as the wireless network and positioning. The related history of internet and recently developed technologies of localization will be introduced. The literature review and case study approaches will be applied to explore the medical services using high technologies. Combining new technologies and medical industry requires an integrated platform. How to design such a platform and what functionalities required in that are investigated in this thesis. Our data is mainly from Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), including the platform for homecare and eldercare. Moreover, we also study the product samples available on numerous web sites. The services provided in Taiwan are inspected as well. Due to the increasing aging population worldwide, the medical services incorporating high-tech such as homecare and eldercare have attracted interests from both academics and industry. Once a well developed platform can be integrated, there are many advantages can be expected such as saving the medical resource, enhancing the service quality, and so on. Therefore, the government puts emphasis on such medical integrated scheme such as the U-care project in order to meet the future requirements. We will report the platform constructed by ITRI and analyze the problems encountered in the advanced country such as Japan and America. Finally, how the technologies are developed from the engineer perspective will be clarified. The networking and positioning services from Intel and Microsoft are studied in this work and the evolvements are also illustrated

Organisatoriska, ekonomiska och individuella faktorer har betydelse för huruvida omsorgspersonalen har intentioner till att lämna sin arbetsplats eller faktiskt sluta på arbetsplatsen. Syftet med studien var att finna faktorer som påverkar omsorgspersonal att stanna eller lämna sin arbetsplats, samt hur vårdyrket inom äldreomsorgen kan göras mer attraktivt. Sexton kvinnor inom äldreomsorgen i Mellansverige intervjuades. Systematiska jämförelser mellan dem som hade för avsikt att stanna och dem som hade för avsikt att sluta på sin arbetsplats utfördes, även en eftersökning av faktorer som kunde göra yrket mer attraktivt genomfördes. Faktorer som att utvecklas var avgörande för de som hade för avsikt att lämna och kollegorna samt ett omväxlande arbete var viktigt för de som hade för avsikt att stanna. Medias negativa skildring av äldreomsorgen samt lönen rapporterades påverka vårdyrkets attraktionskraft. Framtida undersökningar bör fokusera på hur media påverkar möjligheten att attrahera ny personal inom vårdyrken.

In South Africa, with the highest HIV population in the world, more than 5 million people live with HIV and AIDS, and it is predicted that deaths because of AlDS will rise sharply up to 2010 (Evian, 2003:20; UNAIDS, 2003:19). Because of this, great numbers of patients in the final stages of AlDS need support and homecare in areas with little resources. In this context of limited resources it became necessary for communities and health care services to investigate alternatives for cost-effective and sustainable methods to care for patients with AIDS. Patients are often discharged home to die because the hospital staff can do nothing but palliative care and they feel that resources and space can be better utilised on patients with a greater chance of recovery (Jackson, 2002:232). The government and non-governmental organisations established a number of homecare services to care for patients with AlDS at home. The Potchefstroom-district is no exception; the question however arises whether the care needs of these patients are addressed. The objective of this research was to identify the physical, psychological, spiritual and social needs of patients with AlDS for home care and the perceptions of caregivers of what these needs are. The ultimate objective was to formulate recommendations from the results for need-centred homecare for patients with AlDS in the Potchefstroom-district. A two-phased design was used to reach this objective. These two phases took place simultaneously. During phase one, caregivers operated as fieldworkers and completed questionnaires on behalf of the patients on their needs for homecare. During phase two the perceptions of caregivers of patients with AIDS's needs for homecare were determined using the nominal group technique. The director of health of the local authority gave consent for this research. The population of phase one consisted of available patients with AlDS in the Potchefstroom-district of the Northwest Province that compiled to the prerequisites of the research. The population of phase two consisted of a group of caregivers from another area that did not take part in phase one. After they gave consent a total of 24 patients with AlDS and 31 caregivers took part in the research. Data analysis in the case of the questionnaires was done by frequency distribution and for the nominal groups during the group sessions. On the grounds of the results the conclusion was made that patients with AlDS experience a great deal of hopelessness and that their needs are mostly on the first level of basic needs, according to the Maslow needs hierarchy. Higher levels of needs like self-concept needs and self-actualisation came to the attention in the need for spiritual support especially from their own church community. Social and financial needs were also identified. The caregivers stressed the need for equipment when caring for these patients, as there is nothing available for basic homecare. Caregivers identified needs that were not mentioned by the patients and vice versa. For patients an important need was pain relieve which the caregivers did not mention. It appears from this research that the need for the involvement of the multidisciplinary team is not being addressed. Based on the results of this research guidelines were formulated for registered nurses, that train and supervise the caregivers, to ensure that these patients receive the comprehensive care they deserve. / Thesis (M.Cur.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

In South Africa, with the highest HIV population in the world, more than 5 million people live with HIV and AIDS, and it is predicted that deaths because of AlDS will rise sharply up to 2010 (Evian, 2003:20; UNAIDS, 2003:19). Because of this, great numbers of patients in the final stages of AlDS need support and homecare in areas with little resources. In this context of limited resources it became necessary for communities and health care services to investigate alternatives for cost-effective and sustainable methods to care for patients with AIDS. Patients are often discharged home to die because the hospital staff can do nothing but palliative care and they feel that resources and space can be better utilised on patients with a greater chance of recovery (Jackson, 2002:232). The government and non-governmental organisations established a number of homecare services to care for patients with AlDS at home. The Potchefstroom-district is no exception; the question however arises whether the care needs of these patients are addressed. The objective of this research was to identify the physical, psychological, spiritual and social needs of patients with AlDS for home care and the perceptions of caregivers of what these needs are. The ultimate objective was to formulate recommendations from the results for need-centred homecare for patients with AlDS in the Potchefstroom-district. A two-phased design was used to reach this objective. These two phases took place simultaneously. During phase one, caregivers operated as fieldworkers and completed questionnaires on behalf of the patients on their needs for homecare. During phase two the perceptions of caregivers of patients with AIDS's needs for homecare were determined using the nominal group technique. The director of health of the local authority gave consent for this research. The population of phase one consisted of available patients with AlDS in the Potchefstroom-district of the Northwest Province that compiled to the prerequisites of the research. The population of phase two consisted of a group of caregivers from another area that did not take part in phase one. After they gave consent a total of 24 patients with AlDS and 31 caregivers took part in the research. Data analysis in the case of the questionnaires was done by frequency distribution and for the nominal groups during the group sessions. On the grounds of the results the conclusion was made that patients with AlDS experience a great deal of hopelessness and that their needs are mostly on the first level of basic needs, according to the Maslow needs hierarchy. Higher levels of needs like self-concept needs and self-actualisation came to the attention in the need for spiritual support especially from their own church community. Social and financial needs were also identified. The caregivers stressed the need for equipment when caring for these patients, as there is nothing available for basic homecare. Caregivers identified needs that were not mentioned by the patients and vice versa. For patients an important need was pain relieve which the caregivers did not mention. It appears from this research that the need for the involvement of the multidisciplinary team is not being addressed. Based on the results of this research guidelines were formulated for registered nurses, that train and supervise the caregivers, to ensure that these patients receive the comprehensive care they deserve. / Thesis (M.Cur.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

Introdução: o ato de cuidar de um familiar, embora nobre, reveste-se de risco substancial de doenças, tanto físicas quanto mentais, para aquele que cuida, o cuidador informal. Por ser um processo complexo, pode ocasionar sobrecarga deste cuidador e comprometer sua qualidade de vida. Objetivo: avaliar a sobrecarga de cuidadores informais de pacientes acompanhados em um Serviço de Atenção Domiciliar. Método: pesquisa transversal, descritiva, não experimental, de abordagem quantitativa, com a participação de 79 pacientes e seus respectivos cuidadores informais. Os dados foram coletados por meio de um instrumento de caracterização dos participantes, aplicação do Índice de Desempenho de Karnofsky e Escala de Zarit, Burden Interview, e analisados por estatística descritiva, correlação e comparação de médias. Resultados: entre os cuidadores informais, houve idade média de 55 anos, maioria do sexo feminino (93,70%), casadas (64,60%), ensino médio completo (27,80%) e do lar (19,00%). Dentre os problemas de saúde, predominaram doenças do aparelho circulatório (30,80%) e uso de anti- hipertensivos (30,38%). Identificadas presença de dor (73,42%), classificada como intensa (43,10%), e utilização de serviços públicos de saúde (93,70%), com duas consultas médicas no último ano. Evidenciou-se que 94,90% dos cuidadores informais moravam no mesmo domicílio do paciente, em média três moradores por residência; 67,10% não recebiam apoio do parceiro para o cuidado, porém 63,30% referiram colaboração de alguma pessoa. O tempo médio dedicado ao cuidar foi de 24 horas semanais, 13,90% cuidavam de outras pessoas doentes, e o grau de parentesco predominante foi filho (38,00%). Não foi identificado absenteísmo do trabalho. Entre as tarefas realizadas, teve destaque auxiliar no vestuário (89,90%) e 82,30% mencionaram sono interrompido - média de seis horas por noite. Entre os pacientes, a idade média foi 71 anos, sexo masculino (51,90%), casado/união estável (43,00%), ensino fundamental incompleto (39,20%), média de três filhos, ocupação do lar (17,70%), com residência própria (72,20%), em uso de psicotrópicos e diagnóstico predominante de doenças do sistema nervoso (58,23%). O uso de fralda mostrou-se o dispositivo predominante (72,20%). Identificou-se grau de funcionalidade do paciente, pela Escala KPS, entre 50-60 (70,88%). Com relação à avaliação da sobrecarga do cuidador informal, esta foi classificada como moderada, sendo influenciada pela idade do cuidador (p=0,016), idade do paciente (p=0,047) e utilização do dispositivo gastrostomia (p=0,011). Conclusão: os dados apontam que as equipes multiprofissionais da atenção domiciliar devem propor ações individualizadas aos cuidadores informais, bem como os serviços públicos de saúde devem dispor de espaços capazes de acolhê-los e orientá-los segundo protocolos institucionais direcionados a essa parcela da população, com vistas à redução dos níveis de sobrecarga e consequente melhora da qualidade de vida / Introduction: the act of caregiving for a relative, despite being a noble attitude, is related to a substantial risk of diseases, physical and mental, to the person who acts as an informal caregiver. Since it is a complex process, it may lead to the caregiver\'s burden and compromise his or her life quality. Objective: evaluate the burden of informal caregivers of patients who are assisted by a Healthcare Service. Method: cross research, descriptive, not experimental, of quantitative approach, with a group of 79 patients and their respective informal caregivers. Data was obtained by a profiling instrument of the participants, applying of Karnofsky Performance Score (KPS) and Zarit\'s Scale, Burden Interview, analyzed by descriptive statistics, correlation and comparing of the average results. Results: among the informal caregivers, it was verified that the average age is 55 years, are mostly women (93,70%), married (64,60%), has a high school degree (27,80%) and housewives (19,00%). Among the health diseases, prevail the circulatory system diseases (30,80%) and use of antihypertensive drugs (30,38%). It was identified the occurrence of pain (73,42%), rated as intense (43,10%), and use of public health services (93,70%), with two medical checks last year. It was possible to verify that 94,90% of the informal caregivers lived at the same home as the patient, with an average of 03 people per domicile; 67,10% did not receive the spouse\'s support for caregiving, but 63,30% of them reported someone else\'s cooperation. The observed average time of caregiving was of 24 hours per week; 13,90% gives care for other sick people and the prevailing degree of relatedness is son /daughter (38,00%). Absence from work was not identified. Among the reported tasks, helping the person to get dressed stood out (89,90%). 82,30% of the caregivers mentioned the occurrence of interruption of sleeping (82,30%) - average of six hours per night. Among the patients, it was verified that the average age is 71 years, male (51,90%), married /in a stable union (43,00%), did not complete elementary school (39,20%), has an average of 03 sons, househusbands (17,70%), owner of its own domicile place, users of psychotropic substances and prevailing diagnosis of neurological system diseases (58,23%). Use of diapers is the predominant adopted measurement (72,20%). Identified performance status (KPS) between 50-60 (70,88%). About the informal caregiver\'s burden, it was rated as moderate level, being influenced by the age of the caregiver (p=0,016), age of the patient (p=0,047) and use of the gastrostomy device (p=0,011). Conclusion: collected data indicates that the homecare multiprofessional teams shall propose individual actions to the informal caregivers, as well as the public health services shall have proper places to teach them according to institutional protocols directed to them, aiming to reduce the burden levels and consequently offering a better quality of life

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The increasing number of eldery people is demanding increasingly infrastructure of health systems mainly due to the incidence of diseases associated with older profile. Among these, one of the most worrying is dementia, a syndrome that progressively affects cognitive and motor functions of patients, who become dependent care and constant monitoring. The home care could mean an interesting alternative to avoid a possible hospitalar collapse , providing care to patients in their own home. However, the home environment can become complex, since often the caregiver is someone of the family and does not have the correct technique of monitoring or being inattentive due to wear caused by intense patient care. Thus it becomes necessary to develop solutions which reduce the overhead of the caregiver while the patient continues to be monitored. One way to achieve such solutions is by applying concepts of pervasive computing in home environments. Through an environment populated by sensors and other computing devices the patient can be monitored constantly and the environment can adapt to the needs of the user, anticipating the situations according to the current context. For this, the context must be represented clearly and with the semantics of their entities well-defined. Considering this, this work presents a approach for pervasive environments aimed to the care of the patients with dementia in homecare environments. This approach is composed of an architecture for development of pervasive systems, and an ontology for knowledge representation environments pervasive oriented to patients with this profile. It is believed, with the approach proposed, preserve the autonomy of patients as well as stimulate their cognitive functions remaining, besides to reduce the burden suffered by their caregivers. / A crescente quantidade de pessoas idosas vem exigindo cada vez mais infraestrutura dos sistemas de saúde atuais devido, principalmente, à alta incidência de doenças associadas ao perfil idoso. Dentre elas, uma das mais preocupantes é a demência, uma síndrome que afeta progressivamente as funções cognitivas e motoras dos pacientes, os quais tornam-se dependentes de cuidados e monitoramento constantes. O cuidado em homecare pode ser uma alternativa interessante para evitar um possível colapso hospitalar, proporcionando cuidados aos pacientes em sua própria casa. No entanto, o ambiente domiciliar pode se tornar complexo, visto que muitas vezes o cuidador é alguém da própria família e que não possui a técnica correta de monitoramento ou esta desatento em função do desgaste provocado pelo intenso cuidado ao paciente. Assim, torna-se necessário o desenvolvimento de soluções que diminuam a sobrecarga do cuidador, ao passo em que o paciente continue sendo monitorado. Uma maneira de viabilizar tais soluções é através da aplicação de conceitos de computação pervasiva em ambientes domiciliares. Através de um ambiente povoado de sensores e de outros dispositivos computacionais, o paciente pode ser monitorado constantemente e tal ambiente pode se adaptar às necessidades deste usuário, antecipando-se a situações de acordo com o contexto atual. Para isso, é necessário que o contexto seja representado de maneira clara e com a semântica de suas entidades bem definida. Considerando isso, o presente trabalho apresenta uma abordagem para ambientes pervasivos voltados ao cuidado de pacientes com demência em ambientes de homecare. Tal abordagem é composta por uma arquitetura para o desenvolvimento de sistemas pervasivos, bem como uma ontologia para representação do conhecimento de ambientes pervasivos direcionados a pacientes com este perfil. Acredita-se, com a modelagem proposta, presevar a autonomia dos pacientes, bem como estimular suas funções cognitivas remanescentes, além de diminuir a sobrecarga sofrida por seus cuidadores.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The study of new technologies in the field of healthcare is fundamental, especially considering the problems faced by information systems, the increasing of population s life expectancy and the need of specialized assistance. Robotics has been allowing the attendance of integrated domestic services, and also monitoring systems, facilitating user s daily activities. Considering this context, the present work has as main goal the insertion of a robot, named Rulian, in a pervasive homecare environment, aiming to complement the existing tools of health assistance and allowing more comfort to patients. Using an innovating architecture developed for pervasive homecare systems for the integration of information captured form the environment and the abilities defined for the robot, the proposal aims to increase the perception of care about patients in medical treatment or recovering. From the configuration of an existing pervasive homecare environment, we developed an architecture for the robot, allowing it to interact and communicate with users and devices, store data and exchange information with the pervasive system. The existing knowledge of the homecare environment was represented through ontologies. To validate the proposal methodology, we present a study case, where the robot performs tasks assisting the patients. / O estudo de novas tecnologias voltadas à área da saúde é fundamental, considerando especialmente os problemas enfrentados pelos sistemas de informação, o aumento da expectativa de vida das populações e a necessidade de assistência especializada. A robótica tem permitido o atendimento de serviços domésticos integrados, bem como sistemas de monitoramento, facilitando as atividades dos seus usuários. Diante deste contexto, o presente trabalho tem como objetivo principal a inserção de um robô, denominado Rulian, em um ambiente homecare pervasivo, visando complementar as ferramentas de assistência à saúde e possibilitar maior conforto aos pacientes. Utilizando uma arquitetura inovadora desenvolvida para sistemas pervasivos homecare para a integração das informações captadas do ambiente e das habilidades definidas para o robô, a proposta visa aumentar a percepção de cuidados sobre um paciente em tratamento ou recuperação. A partir da configuração de um ambiente homecare pervasivo já existente, desenvolveu-se uma arquitetura que possibilita que o robô interaja e se comunique com usuários e dispositivos computacionais, armazene dados e troque informações com o sistema pervasivo. O conhecimento existente no ambiente homecare foi representado através de ontologias. Para validar a metodologia proposta, apresenta-se um estudo de caso, onde o robô desempenha funções auxiliando os pacientes.

Introdução: o ato de cuidar de um familiar, embora nobre, reveste-se de risco substancial de doenças, tanto físicas quanto mentais, para aquele que cuida, o cuidador informal. Por ser um processo complexo, pode ocasionar sobrecarga deste cuidador e comprometer sua qualidade de vida. Objetivo: avaliar a sobrecarga de cuidadores informais de pacientes acompanhados em um Serviço de Atenção Domiciliar. Método: pesquisa transversal, descritiva, não experimental, de abordagem quantitativa, com a participação de 79 pacientes e seus respectivos cuidadores informais. Os dados foram coletados por meio de um instrumento de caracterização dos participantes, aplicação do Índice de Desempenho de Karnofsky e Escala de Zarit, Burden Interview, e analisados por estatística descritiva, correlação e comparação de médias. Resultados: entre os cuidadores informais, houve idade média de 55 anos, maioria do sexo feminino (93,70%), casadas (64,60%), ensino médio completo (27,80%) e do lar (19,00%). Dentre os problemas de saúde, predominaram doenças do aparelho circulatório (30,80%) e uso de anti- hipertensivos (30,38%). Identificadas presença de dor (73,42%), classificada como intensa (43,10%), e utilização de serviços públicos de saúde (93,70%), com duas consultas médicas no último ano. Evidenciou-se que 94,90% dos cuidadores informais moravam no mesmo domicílio do paciente, em média três moradores por residência; 67,10% não recebiam apoio do parceiro para o cuidado, porém 63,30% referiram colaboração de alguma pessoa. O tempo médio dedicado ao cuidar foi de 24 horas semanais, 13,90% cuidavam de outras pessoas doentes, e o grau de parentesco predominante foi filho (38,00%). Não foi identificado absenteísmo do trabalho. Entre as tarefas realizadas, teve destaque auxiliar no vestuário (89,90%) e 82,30% mencionaram sono interrompido - média de seis horas por noite. Entre os pacientes, a idade média foi 71 anos, sexo masculino (51,90%), casado/união estável (43,00%), ensino fundamental incompleto (39,20%), média de três filhos, ocupação do lar (17,70%), com residência própria (72,20%), em uso de psicotrópicos e diagnóstico predominante de doenças do sistema nervoso (58,23%). O uso de fralda mostrou-se o dispositivo predominante (72,20%). Identificou-se grau de funcionalidade do paciente, pela Escala KPS, entre 50-60 (70,88%). Com relação à avaliação da sobrecarga do cuidador informal, esta foi classificada como moderada, sendo influenciada pela idade do cuidador (p=0,016), idade do paciente (p=0,047) e utilização do dispositivo gastrostomia (p=0,011). Conclusão: os dados apontam que as equipes multiprofissionais da atenção domiciliar devem propor ações individualizadas aos cuidadores informais, bem como os serviços públicos de saúde devem dispor de espaços capazes de acolhê-los e orientá-los segundo protocolos institucionais direcionados a essa parcela da população, com vistas à redução dos níveis de sobrecarga e consequente melhora da qualidade de vida / Introduction: the act of caregiving for a relative, despite being a noble attitude, is related to a substantial risk of diseases, physical and mental, to the person who acts as an informal caregiver. Since it is a complex process, it may lead to the caregiver\'s burden and compromise his or her life quality. Objective: evaluate the burden of informal caregivers of patients who are assisted by a Healthcare Service. Method: cross research, descriptive, not experimental, of quantitative approach, with a group of 79 patients and their respective informal caregivers. Data was obtained by a profiling instrument of the participants, applying of Karnofsky Performance Score (KPS) and Zarit\'s Scale, Burden Interview, analyzed by descriptive statistics, correlation and comparing of the average results. Results: among the informal caregivers, it was verified that the average age is 55 years, are mostly women (93,70%), married (64,60%), has a high school degree (27,80%) and housewives (19,00%). Among the health diseases, prevail the circulatory system diseases (30,80%) and use of antihypertensive drugs (30,38%). It was identified the occurrence of pain (73,42%), rated as intense (43,10%), and use of public health services (93,70%), with two medical checks last year. It was possible to verify that 94,90% of the informal caregivers lived at the same home as the patient, with an average of 03 people per domicile; 67,10% did not receive the spouse\'s support for caregiving, but 63,30% of them reported someone else\'s cooperation. The observed average time of caregiving was of 24 hours per week; 13,90% gives care for other sick people and the prevailing degree of relatedness is son /daughter (38,00%). Absence from work was not identified. Among the reported tasks, helping the person to get dressed stood out (89,90%). 82,30% of the caregivers mentioned the occurrence of interruption of sleeping (82,30%) - average of six hours per night. Among the patients, it was verified that the average age is 71 years, male (51,90%), married /in a stable union (43,00%), did not complete elementary school (39,20%), has an average of 03 sons, househusbands (17,70%), owner of its own domicile place, users of psychotropic substances and prevailing diagnosis of neurological system diseases (58,23%). Use of diapers is the predominant adopted measurement (72,20%). Identified performance status (KPS) between 50-60 (70,88%). About the informal caregiver\'s burden, it was rated as moderate level, being influenced by the age of the caregiver (p=0,016), age of the patient (p=0,047) and use of the gastrostomy device (p=0,011). Conclusion: collected data indicates that the homecare multiprofessional teams shall propose individual actions to the informal caregivers, as well as the public health services shall have proper places to teach them according to institutional protocols directed to them, aiming to reduce the burden levels and consequently offering a better quality of life

The purpose of this study has been to explore how home care workers experience the use of ICT (that is, digital systems for time registration) in their work. The data collection took place through qualitative semi-structured interviews of seven home care employees in two different Swedish municipalities in Stockholm. Furthermore, a thematic analysis was performed by transcribing the interviews and trying to find common patterns or themes. The interviewees statements have been analyzed using two different theories: the role theory and Davies' (1994) theory of clock time and process time. The results show that the home care staff experience that the use of ICT leads to time pressure and stress during the working day. It also appears that the home care staff may experience the time registration system as a control function or monitoring method on them and their work. Other interviewees, on the other hand, describes that the registration of time contributes to increased security for both home care staff and the elderly care recipient. Finally, the results show that ICT is considered to contribute to an efficient and flexible home service work.