carers

The role of telecare systems is normally seen as identifying, and drawing attention to, situations of concern in the homes of service users. While this may currently be the primary reason for deploying such systems, the scope of telecare should not be limited to such an alarm generation role. The role of telecare in enhancing community-based care provision may be broadened by using similar, or identical, technology for providing relevant information to the carers of service users.

There are at least four ways in which old age and migration cross each other’s paths. First of all, there are people who migrated for economic reasons, usually at a relatively young age, and who have grown old in a foreign country. Secondly, there are older people who migrate when (or because) they are old: in Europe, they are mostly from the affluent northern countries and travel southward. Thirdly, there is increasing employment of, and demand for, immigrant workers in old-age institutions in the northern countries.

This paper describes a young refugee's experience of unbearable emotional pain, and its impact on the professionals who work with her. It demonstrates the importance of adequate support for professionals working with refugees; and the difficulties for both individuals and organizations in tolerating the limitations of resources.

AIMS AND METHOD To assess whether postal questionnaires, used as a local initiative, were useful in identifying carer depression allowing early support for community-dwelling carers of older adults with mental health needs. The Geriatric Depression Scale and a questionnaire collecting information on the carer’s circumstances were sent to carers of consecutive patients routinely referred to a community mental health team for older adults in south London. Rates of carer depression between postal questionnaire responders and non-responders were compared.

Objective: To investigate the quality of life (QoL) and depression and its correlates in carers living with early onset dementia (EOD) patients.

Method: The subjects were 49 carers, either married to or cohabiting with EOD patients, 38 with Alzheimer's disease and 11 with other types of dementia. The Quality of Life – Alzheimer Disease scale (QoL-AD) and Geriatric Depression Scale – 15 items (GDS-15) were used.

Caregivers need certain knowledge and skills both to provide the best possible care and to protect their own well-being.

The future market costs of long-term care for older people will be affected by the extent of informal care. This paper reports on projections of receipt of informal care by disabled older people from their spouses and (adult) children to 2031 in England. The paper shows that, over the next 30 years, care by spouses is likely to increase substantially. However, if current patterns of care remain the same, care by children will also need to increase by nearly 60 per cent by 2031. It is not clear that the supply of care by children will rise to meet this demand. 

As community care has become embedded in the UK as in much of the western world more responsibility for psychosocial care has been placed on family carers. A systematic review of the literature about the role of family carers supporting a relative with severe mental illness and their relationships and engagement with professionals was carried out. The review aimed to find out what professionals expected of family carers and what family carers expected of themselves.

Purpose: The aim was to examine stroke patients’, carers’ and volunteer supporters’ experiences of peer support groups during hospital rehabilitation. Methods: Semi-structured interviews and questionnaires were analysed by inductive thematic analysis. Participants also answered a standardised Therapeutic Factors Inventory (TFI). Results: Five superordinate themes emerged for patients, carers and volunteer supporters.