Navigating Home Help Services: Care Needs and Everyday Adaptation among Frail Older Adults Who Have Lost Their Only Child

As family-based care declines, community-based home help services have become increasingly important for older adults. This study explores how frail older adults who have lost their only child perceive and experience home help services in relation to their care needs. A descriptive phenomenological approach was adopted, using in-depth interviews with 11 participants in Chongqing, China, and thematic analysis. The findings show that home help services provide essential everyday support but are often insufficient to meet continuous, complex, or urgent care needs. Participants responded by adjusting their help-seeking practices and care expectations while balancing available support with personal needs. These findings highlight the gap between service provision and lived care needs, and suggest that improving the coordination and responsiveness of community-based home help services may better support this vulnerable population.