Introduction: As the world's population ages, the need for care and support in the home environment increases. Older people build a bond with their home environment and the feeling of being at home gives them the opportunity to join a social network. Despite the sense of security that home gives them, older people can be exposed to various risks and dangerous situations that can lead to a deterioration in an individual's health. For older adults who can no longer care for themselves, the responsibility for care and nursing is taken over by informal caregivers. Informal caregivers are usually family members, friends or neighbours who provide assistance with basic and supportive tasks of daily living. Purpose: We aim to find out how older adults experience the home environment, the impact of long-term care of an older adult on informal caregivers, and the needs of informal caregivers in caring for older people in the home environment. Methods: We used a descriptive working method with a review of domestic and international literature. The literature was searched via remote access to the digital library of the College of Ljubljana, using databases: PubMed, Medline and CINAHL. The cooperative online bibliographic system COBISS and the Google Scholar database were also used for the literature search. The literature was searched in Slovenian and English with the keywords: older people, living environment, informal care, quality of life, stress, lack of knowledge. The literature search was conducted from June 2023 to January 2024. We used the time frame from 2007 to 2024. Results: In reviewing the literature, we found that for older people, the home environment provides autonomy, gives them a sense of security and gives meaning to their lives, which is why many older adults choose to spend their twilight years in their home environment. Their physical and mental health is closely linked to their perception of old age. Informal caregivers who care for the elderly experience feelings of satisfaction, pride and social significance in the course of providing care, helping to improve the health of the elderly. The long-term care they provide can have a negative impact on caregivers' professional and social lives, as well as the physical and mental health. While providing care, they notice the need for additional information and training, professional support and improved communication with professionals. There is also a need for financial support and more free time. Discussion and conclusion: A safe home environment, a good social network and social support have an impact on a better quality of life for older people. Informal care has a positive effect on the health and well-being of older people. To prevent burnout among informal caregivers, it is necessary to maintain a positive attitude towards caregivers. Due to the increase in the elderly population, informal caregivers will be the main source of help for the elderly in their home environment in the future. It is therefore important that they are aware of the methods of professional support and assistance that are available to them.
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