|
| ||
|
|
||
Carer's Experiences (carer + experience)
Selected Abstracts,Out of Hospital': a scoping study of services for carers of people being discharged from hospitalHEALTH & SOCIAL CARE IN THE COMMUNITY, Issue 4 2009Rachel Borthwick BSc (Hons) RM RN Abstract Successive government policies have highlighted the need to inform and involve carers fully in the hospital discharge process. However, some research suggests that many carers feel insufficiently involved and unsupported in this process. This paper summarises a scoping review to identify what the UK literature tells us about the service provision for carers, and its effectiveness, around the time of hospital discharge of the care recipient, and also describes a mapping exercise of the work currently being done by Princess Royal Trust for Carers Centres in England to support carers around the time of hospital discharge. The restriction to UK literature was dictated by the nature of the project; a modest review carried out for a UK-based voluntary sector organization. Fifty-three documents were reviewed, of which 19 papers (representing 17 studies) were reporting on primary research. As only five of these studies actually involved an intervention, it appears there is very little research from the UK which evaluates specific interventions to support carers around the time of hospital discharge of the care recipient. While the mapping exercise showed that in some areas there are services and/or initiatives in place which have been designed to improve the process of discharge for carers, in many places there is still a gap between what policy and research suggest should happen and what actually happens to carers at this time. Even where services and initiatives to support carers through the discharge process exist, there is only limited evidence from research or evaluation to demonstrate their impact on the carer's experience. Further research, both quantitative and qualitative, is required to address these areas and enable commissioners, providers and carers' organizations to work together towards a service in which patients and carers alike receive the support and help they need at this significant time of transition. [source] Hospital discharge planning for frail older people and their family.JOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 18 2009Are we delivering best practice? Aims and objectives., This paper examined the available evidence concerning hospital discharge practices for frail older people and their family caregivers and what practices were most beneficial for this group. Background., Hospital discharge practices are placing an increasing burden of care on the family caregiver. Discharge planning and execution is significant for older patients where inadequate practices can be linked to adverse outcomes and an increased risk of readmission. Design., Literature review. Methods., A review of English language literature published after 1995 on hospital discharge of frail older people and family carer's experiences. Results., Numerous factors impact on the hospital discharge planning of the frail older person and their family carer's that when categorised focus on the role that discharge planning plays in bridging the gap between the care provided in hospital and the care needed in the community, its potential to reduce the length of hospital stay, the impact of the discharge process on family carer's and the need for a coordinated health professional approach that includes dissemination of information, clear communication and active support. Conclusion., The current evidence indicates that hospital discharge planning for frail older people can be improved if interventions address family inclusion and education, communication between health care workers and family, interdisciplinary communication and ongoing support after discharge. Interventions should commence well before discharge. Relevance to clinical practice., An awareness of how the execution of the hospital discharge plan is perceived by the principal family carer of a frail older person, will allow nurses and others involved with the discharge process to better reconcile the family caregivers' needs and expectations with the discharge process offered by their facility. The research shows there is a direct correlation between the quality of discharge planning and readmission to hospital. [source] Using photographs and narratives to contextualise and map the experience of caring for a person with dementiaJOURNAL OF NURSING AND HEALTHCARE OF CHRONIC ILLNE SS: AN INTERNATIONAL INTERDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL, Issue 3 2009PGCLT (HE), Penny Hibberd RGN Aim., To capture the meaning and context of how carers adapt and develop their relationships throughout their caring role. Background., Family carers play a pivotal role in supporting and caring for a person living with dementia at home. To date, the majority of social research on carers has focussed upon the stress and burden that such demands evoke, and limited attention has been paid to locating the carer's own construction of their role with a relationship-centred approach. This paper attempts to build on this emerging understanding. Design., A participative, qualitative study using photographs and supportive narratives to contextualise and map carer's experiences of caring for a person with dementia. The study was conducted in one area of South East England, UK with all necessary ethical permission to conduct the study obtained prior to data collection. Method., Data was obtained between May,June 2008 with nine carers recruited from a not for profit organisation based in the UK. Photographs were taken by participants using a 27-print disposable camera with supporting written narratives provided on six photographs that participants selected to best represent their caring role and relationship. These photographs and supporting text were then shared with other participants in a focus group. Through this process, participants were helped to sort and group the data into narrative themes. Results., From this collaborative process, the group identified four types of caring relationships, these were: recognising (1); transforming (2); stabilising (3); and ,moving on' (4). Photographs and the supporting narratives were used to illustrate each type of relationship that helped to give meaning and shape to everyday life. Conclusion., The four types of caring relationships help nurses and other service providers to understand how carers of people with dementia construct and manage their day-to-day life. Recognition of a carer's personhood needs to be acknowledged in order to promote and support their role throughout the caring trajectory. Relevance to clinical practice., Recognition of the knowledge and skills held by carers of people with dementia can help inform professional decision-making and provide a platform for practice intervention. [source] Participation in arranging continuing health care packages: experiences and aspirations of service usersJOURNAL OF NURSING MANAGEMENT, Issue 2 2001S. Abbott ba(hons), ma(econ) Aims, This paper examines patients' and carers' experiences of receiving community health services, and considers the degree of patients' participation in the management of their continuing care. Background, Care management, advocated for many years as a way of ensuring appropriate and coordinated care, emphasizes the involvement of patients and carers in care planning. Evidence suggests that such involvement is unusual. Methods, Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 99 continuing health care patients and/or their carers. Findings, A few informants had willingly chosen to be active in arranging and coordinating their care, and a few others, who did not take an active role, were very satisfied with the services which they received. The majority, however, were not satisfied, feeling unclear about how their needs had been assessed and how services had been arranged. They were mostly disappointed by the absence of information and by the lack of regular contact with NHS and/or Social Services personnel. Some had felt compelled to become proactive in order to ensure that the care provided was adequate. Conclusions, Community nurses are valued by patients, and are well placed to be care managers. However, less qualified staff are also able to offer the regular support and information which patients want and value. [source] Developing services for the carers of young adults with early-onset psychosis , listening to their experiences and needsJOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC & MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, Issue 5 2005J. SIN msc bsc (hons)-thorn bn bgs rmn The care-giving experience of carers of young adults with early onset psychosis is relatively unexplored. New carers are less likely to be engaged with local services for carers and families, than those more established in their caring role. Understanding the experience of these carers provides some valuable insight into the value of caring and in guiding service development. This paper reports on a study designed to explore carers' experiences of caring for a young adult diagnosed with a first psychotic episode and their needs in relation to the development of an early intervention for psychosis service. A phenomenological approach was used. Eleven carers were given a semi-structured interview in their own homes. All of the carers in the study had a son with early onset psychosis. The outcome revealed that all carers were providing a comprehensive range of practical, emotional and financial support for their son including initiating and sustaining engagement between them and local mental health services. Many carers were felt to be invisible and silent partners in care and felt under-valued by mental health services. [source] | ||||||||||