Services for caregivers

As the number of people with dementia in Japan continues to rise, family caregivers are experiencing an increasing care burden. Previous research has shown that this care burden can affect family caregivers' physical and mental health. Therefore, providing support for caregivers of family members with dementia has become an urgent issue in the country.

Background: Previous work shows that more affluent patients with cancer are more likely to die at home, whereas those dying from non-cancer conditions are more likely to die in hospital. Family caregivers are an important factor in determining place of death. Aim: To investigate associations between family caregivers' household income, patients' access to specialist palliative care and place of patients' death, by level of personal end-of-life care. Design: A cross-sectional community household population survey.

Purpose: Most health outcome measures for chronic diseases do not incorporate specific health goals of patients and caregivers. To elicit patient-centered goals for dementia care, we conducted a qualitative study using focus groups of people with early-stage dementia and dementia caregivers. Methods: We conducted 5 focus groups with 43 participants (7 with early-stage dementia and 36 caregivers); 15 participants were Spanish-speaking.

Background: Little is known about the experiences of family caregivers of hospitalized patients with confirmed methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus/multiresistant gram-negative bacteria (MRSA/MRGN) diagnosis at the end of life. The study at hand is a subproject of an interdisciplinary cooperation project that aims at developing a patient-, family-, and team-centered approach in dealing with MRSA/MRGN-positive hospitalized patients in palliative and geriatric care.

In 1967, the concept of family caregiving was not talked about. It was a responsibility assumed by a spouse, parent, or child, the overwhelming majority of whom were female. There was no body of knowledge, nor was it covered in the media. This article summarizes the evolution of caregiving in the United States over the past fifty years, including: increased awareness of caregiving; federal development of support services for caregivers; legislation; impacts on caregiver health; workplace support for caregivers; technological support; and research. 

Aim: To explore the experience and the preparedness of family carers in their caregiving role as best interest decision-makers of a relative living with advanced dementia. Background: The prevalence of dementia is a global issue. The role of being a carer of a relative living with dementia does not necessarily lessen once they are admitted to a nursing home. Best interest decision-making including end-of-life care decisions need to be made and reaching these choices can be challenging.

Background: Outpatient palliative care (PC) has been shown to positively impact quality of life and decrease healthcare utilization, but there are limited data describing what activities render these benefits. Objective: Describe the topics addressed by an outpatient PC team during scheduled visits. Design: Longitudinal cohort study. Setting: The Symptom Management Service, an ambulatory PC program at an academic comprehensive cancer center.

Aim: To identify factors reported with negative and positive outcomes for caregivers of the traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury cohorts, to investigate what interventions have been studied to support carers and to report what effectiveness has been found. Methods: Scoping systematic review. Electronic databases and websites were searched from 1990 to December 2015. Studies were agreed for inclusion using pre-defined criteria. Relevant information from included studies was extracted and quality assessment was completed.

Research shows the stressful demands of caregiving to older family members can have negative effects on physical health. The effects on physical health may include: immune system functioning, heart rate reactivity, raised blood pressure levels, and increased risk of mortality among older spousal caregivers. Gender differences in caregivers' outcomes exist because, compared with male caregivers, female caregivers face higher levels of caregiving stressors, have fewer social resources, and report lower levels of psychological and physical health.

Although informal caregiving is a vital element in the process of supporting individuals with dependency, it is unrecognised most of the time, particularly by caregivers themselves. In Saudi Arabia, little attention has been devoted to informal caregivers; therefore, scarce coverage of this topic is obvious within the literature.