carers

Participants from 25 reminiscence projects involving people with dementia and their carers across Europe are to gather in Germany in June. They will bring with them some colourful luggage: wall hangings, embroidered cushions and major art works. Catherine Ross finds out why.

Mental ill health is very common. Most people with mental health problems live in the community, and as many as 1.5 million people in the UK may be involved in caring for a relative or friend with a mental illness or some form of dementia. Recent legislation and policy initiatives such as the National Strategy for Carers, and the National Service Frameworks for Mental Health and Older People emphasise the importance of providing support for this particular group of carers.

Relatives or carers of people with mental health problems have criticised professionals for their failures to share information with them. This article reports on a multiple method study comprising a policy search, a survey of service users, carers and professionals, and stakeholder interviews and group events. The study found new policies that addressed the principles underpinning information sharing with carers. However, examples of good practice in professional involvement of carers that took account of carer rights and responsibilities emerged from the research.

To remain at home, terminally ill cancer patients need good symptom control and support from informal carers. Few studies have explored the influence of informal carers on symptom control and vice versa. This qualitative case study was carried out in a specialist palliative care service (SPCS) to explore the reasons why patients were admitted for inpatient care. Ten patients were systematically selected and the main carer and health professionals involved in their care were invited to participate.

The author argues that more people with learning disabilities and their carers would opt for individual budgets if they were given better support to make them work. Two short case studies are presented where parents explain how individual budgets have proved successful for their sons, each of who have complex learning disabilities.

Carers play an essential role in the lives of people suffering from mental health problems. Caring is very often a relational activity carried out by family members. Assertive Outreach (AO) services ought to be particularly well placed to support carers, but their impact upon families is not well understood. We set out to understand the intervention of AO services from a family perspective, and in particular to explore its meaning from the perspectives of pairs of carers. Three pairs of carer-parents participated in six individual open-ended interviews.

Context: In 2003 the Department of Health introduced a new qualification for social workers. Previously a diploma, for the first time the social work qualification became a three-year degree course, a move which reflected the difficulty and professionalism of the job. Also for the first time, universities and colleges offering the degree were required to involve service users and carers in the design and delivery of the programme.

One hundred interviews were conducted with primary caregivers, with 63 held in the home of the caregiver and the remainder conducted in a location convenient to the caregiver. Each participant completed the Caregiver Well-Being Scale (CWB), the Caregiving Uplifts Scale (CUPL), the Caregiving Satisfaction Scale (CSS), and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D).

Aims and objectives.  This study aimed to describe the significant others’ experiences and needs when a person is critically ill or injured in an acute care setting.

Background.  Being a significant other to a hospitalised critically ill or injured patient is a heavily distressing life event. Addressing significant others’ needs adequately has been shown to be essential to mitigate the psychological consequences of such distressing events.

Design.  A systematic review of qualitative research. Methods.  Meta-ethnographic synthesis was used for analysis.

This paper presents findings from a qualitative study that sought to identify what works well in supporting older people to live in their own homes and local communities. Drawing on data from six focus groups conducted with key stakeholders, including older people, carers, care managers and direct service providers, the shortcomings of existing services to meet the needs of older people are recognised and the paper seeks to move discusion forward to what might help improve provision.