carers

In this article the author discusses the learning and support needs of older women who, because they cared for elderly relatives, found it difficult to attend classes. She contends that there exists a gap in awareness and equal opportunities provision. In an in-depth investigation of the Government's new Access to Learning Fund (ALF) in relation to part-time students, the author found some considerable discrepancies.

Family carers play an important role supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) into adulthood. Funders of services often desire this ongoing involvement by family members yet they rarely collect data about family carers. As policy makers and planners are increasingly recognizing the need for information related to indicators of system performance, a scoping review was conducted to identify system-wide information needed about family carers of adults with I/DD that would help improve the quality of service provided.

Background: Several studies have investigated abusive behaviour by carers towards people with dementia, most using unvalidated scales; only two reported correlates of abuse after controlling for mediators and confounders, and these controlled for different factors.

Objective: To investigate the acceptability and validity of the Modified Conflict Tactics Scale (MCTS) and abuse correlates.

Carers are family members, friends, and neighbours who perform medical tasks and personal care, manage housekeeping and financial affairs, and provide emotional support to people who are ill, disabled, or elderly. From a carer's perspective, the primary requisite for a good doctor is competence. Assuming equal technical skills and knowledge, the difference between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ doctors comes down to attitudes and behaviour-communication. An important aspect of communication is what doctors say to carers, and how they interpret what carers say to them.

Background: In recent years, there has been a gradual shift towards the study of individual symptom presentations in psychosis, this is particularly found in studies of delusional beliefs. However, the literature remains sparse on informal caregiver experiences of individual symptoms.

Aim: The study sought to investigate carer experiences of supporting a relative with delusional beliefs, which involve family members.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with five caregivers and subject to interpretative phenomenological analysis.

This article focuses on the urgent need to develop social work practice, specifically to systemise the learning which is available from professional interventions with service users and carers. It outlines the value of the task-centred model and method as described in 'The Task-Centred Book' which articulates the experiences of practitioners and service users in a systematic way.

Taking as its starting point the establishment of the Standing Commission on Carers in 2007 and the launch of the National Strategy for Carers in 2008, this article explores who carers are and how demographic changes are likely to impact on carer numbers. It deduces that the need for care is likely to rise significantly in the near future and as such carer numbers will grow. It argues that future policy must take this, and the importance of carers themselves being supported, into account.

General medical practitioners (GPs) and members of the primary care team have a pivotal role in supporting unpaid carers in their caring role and helping them to maintain their own health and well-being. This paper investigates the difference that caregiving makes to individuals’ access to and use of GP and primary care services. It is based on longitudinal analysis of carers’ contacts with GPs, and a review of the literature including evaluations of measures to improve primary-care-based support for carers. Men increase their consultation rates with GPs when taking on a caring role.

Support for carers now has a higher profile following the introduction of the Carers' Act (2004). In this article, Gary Kitchen reports on a successful review his organisation, Get Heard, carried out of a support service to carers of people with dementia in Cheshire, and demonstrates how vital these services are.

Aim The aims of this project were to implement guidance that sought to involve carers of older people in decision-making processes, and to promote practice development through work-based learning.