You are here

  1. Home
  2. Prospective studies

Prospective studies

Are informal caregivers less happy than noncaregivers? Happiness and the intensity of caregiving in combination with paid and voluntary work

Informal caregivers are one of the pillars of home health care. In the Netherlands, the free help they provide to sick or disabled family members, acquaintances or friends exceeds the number of hours of home care provided by professionals. While the government welcomes their contribution, there is concern about the potential burden their work imposes on them. On the one hand, there is concern that informal caregiving could be experienced as a burden and diminish subjective well-being; on the other, helping others as a meaningful activity might increase their subjective well-being.

Thu, 07/20/2017 - 15:19

The use of telecare for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: implications for management

Aim  To evaluate the telecare service offered by Home Care teams to patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Background  The use of telecare aims to support older people in remaining independent at home, reducing hospital admissions and improving the quality of life for older people and their informal carers. In the redesign of managed care for people with COPD using telecare, an evaluation of the implementation process is necessary.

Thu, 07/20/2017 - 15:19

Pilot investigation of the effectiveness of respite care for carers of an adult with mental illness

Informal carers of an adult with mental illness have asked that respite care be an integral component of mental health service provision. The present study involved a pilot investigation of the effectiveness of accessing respite care for carers of individuals with a mental illness. It was hypothesised that compared to carers who have not accessed respite care, carers who access respite care would report lower burden and distress, higher life satisfaction and better health after their use of respite care.

Thu, 07/20/2017 - 15:16

An exploratory study of anxiety in carers of stroke survivors

Aims and objectives. To investigate anxiety in informal carers of stroke survivors in the first three months after discharge. Background. Informal carers, also called caregivers, play a vital role in supporting stroke survivors. However, caring for stroke survivors can have adverse consequences amongst carers such as burden, stress and reduced quality of life. Emotional distress is also commonly reported but anxiety has received less attention than depression. Design. Prospective, longitudinal, descriptive study. Method.

Thu, 07/20/2017 - 15:13

Expectations to and evaluation of a palliative home-care team as seen by patients and carers

OBJECTIVES: Although the number of palliative home-care teams is increasing, knowledge of what patients and principal informal carers expect from a home-care team is sparse. We aimed to elucidate this as well as evaluate a home-care team.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Individual semi-structured interviews with nine patients and six carers before receiving home care and 2-4 weeks after. In total, 26 interviews were conducted. Interviews were analysed with Template Analysis. Peer debriefing was performed.

Thu, 07/20/2017 - 15:13

Managing uncertainty in life after stroke: a qualitative study of the experiences of established and new informal carers in the first 3 months after discharge

Background: Caring for stroke survivors at home can have an enormous impact on informal carers and past research has tended to focus on the negative emotional consequences of caring, with few identifying any positive outcomes. Despite an awareness that the experiences of these carers change over time, there is a dearth of qualitative studies investigating carers’ experiences over time.

Objectives: To investigate the experiences of informal carers of stroke survivors over time.

Design: Qualitative study.

Thu, 07/20/2017 - 15:13

The search for meaning in HIV and AIDS: the carers' experience

This article explores informal carers' experiences in caregiving for people living with HIV and AIDS. The search for meaning encompasses the ways in which carers find meaning in caregiving. A grounded theory approach was taken. Data were collected by means of 43 in-depth interviews and participant observation. Caregivers felt that it was important to have control over the emphasis that HIV had within their lives and developed an attitude that put the virus in perspective. Getting involved in HIV and AIDS work outside of the immediate caregiving relationship was evident.

Thu, 07/20/2017 - 15:13

Caregiver burden, time spent caring and health status in the first 12 months following stroke

OBJECTIVE: To quantify time caring, burden and health status in carers of stroke patients after discharge from rehabilitation; to identify the potentially modifiable sociodemographic and clinical characteristics associated with these outcomes. METHODS: Patients and carers prospectively interviewed 6 (n=71) and 12 (n=57) months after discharge. Relationships of carer and patient variables with burden, health status and time analysed by Gaussian and Poisson regression. RESULTS: Carers showed considerable burden at 6 and 12 months.

Thu, 07/20/2017 - 15:11

Access to health and social care services and information

Aim: The aim of this study was to explore carers' perceptions of their ability to access a range of health and social care services, including information about the services. Method: A total of 151 participants, who were all members of a charity set up and run by informal carers of people with learning disabilities, were given semi-structured questionnaires, which yielded qualitative and quantitative data. Further data came from two focus groups.

Thu, 07/20/2017 - 15:10

Systematic review of respite care in the frail elderly

Objectives: To assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of breaks in care in improving the well-being of informal carers of frail and disabled older people living in the community and to identify carer needs and barriers to uptake of respite services.

Data sources: Major electronic databases were searched from the earliest possible date to April 2008.

Thu, 07/20/2017 - 15:09

Page 3 of 3