Applying a Human Rights-Based Approach to Formal Care and Support Provided in the Home: A Narrative Review

Providing formal care and support in the home has many benefits. Applying a human rights-based approach places the person and their human rights at the centre of all that a health and social care service does. There is a paucity of evidence on how to apply a human rights-based approach in practice when providing homecare. Increasing knowledge and understanding of human rights will empower health and social care practitioners to protect and promote human rights in formal homecare. The aim of this narrative review was to identify and describe human rights-based approaches in homecare, in order to promote awareness and understanding of a human rights-based approach. Five bibliographic databases were searched. Primary research studies pertaining to the delivery of formal homecare that included a human rights-based approach were eligible for inclusion. Sixteen articles were identified for inclusion. Quality appraisal and data extraction were conducted on included studies. A deductive framework analysis was used and concepts of a human rights-based approach that emerged from the literature as relevant to homecare were as follows: dignity and respect, autonomy, equality, participation, and communication. We found that homecare planning and delivery requires the integration of human rights, using approaches, such as person-centred care, partnerships in decision-making, supporting independence, and acknowledging a person’s beliefs and cultures, in everyday practice. Findings from this review can support and enable service providers to apply human rights in everyday practice, ultimately for the benefit of people using homecare services.