Association of volunteer-administered home care with reduced emergency room visits and hospitalization among older adults with chronic conditions: A propensity-score-matched cohort study.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to examine the association of receiving care from a volunteer-administered outreach program with emergency room utilization and hospitalization among older people with chronic conditions in Hong Kong.

Methods: Volunteers consisting of retired healthcare professionals, university students, and openly recruited citizens received training to provide home care services to hospital-discharged older Chinese adults aged 65+ with chronic conditions who were identified as high-risk patients of hospital admission and referred by public healthcare providers. Several home visits were made to enhance the patients' self-care capacity.