FINANCING of research

Background: Alzheimer's disease is one of a variety of progressive and ultimately fatal neurodegenerative diseases that are characterized by a number of nervous and mental symptoms and behavior disorders. These problems are likely to cause burden and strain on caregivers. In this study, we demonstrated the level and relationship of burden and strain among caregivers of dementia patients in China. Methods: A total of 212 caregivers of family members with dementia responded to the survey.

Purpose: To identify factors affecting the quality of life (QOL) of African American women (AAW) family caregivers of individuals with kidney failure. Methods: Ferrans' Conceptual Model of QOL provided the framework for this literature review. Included studies were (a) peer- reviewed, (b) published within the last ten years, (c) written in English, and (d) examined QOL of AAW family caregivers. Using CINAHL© and PubMed©, we found 14 studies that described factors associated with these caregivers' QOL.

The purpose of this study was to identify family caregivers’ experiences in managing the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) with particular focus on their interpersonal interactions with patient with dementia. Data were collected through focus-group interviews with 15 family caregivers from three local dementia-support centers located in Seoul. Data were analyzed using content analysis.

This study examined how patients with cancer estimate caregiver burden (CB) and the association between their underestimation of CB and their caregivers' self‐ratings of their quality of life (CQOLC‐K; Korean version of the Caregiver Quality of Life Index‐Cancer), depression and anxiety (Korean version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale). Participants consisted of 990 patient‐caregiver dyads recruited from a nationwide cross‐sectional survey conducted in South Korea. Medical baseline data were retrieved from the hospital information systems of the participating centres.

Objectives: To prospectively investigate the impact of transitions in informal caregiving on emotional well-being over two years in a large population study of older people. Methods: Information on provision of unpaid care in 2004/2005 and 2006/2007 was available for 6571 participants in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.

Background: Disability following a stroke often requires family, commonly a spouse, to provide care enabling the stroke survivor to return home. Immediate or extended family and friends may help provide direct care or support the primary caregiver. While family members share the common stroke experience, this is lived within the context of separate lives. Research examining the individual nuances, roles and contribution of family and/or friends forming part of collective stroke networks, has largely been overlooked.

Children and adolescents with caring responsibilities are an uncontested reality in our society. Most are hidden from public view, and they perform a broad range of caring activities for chronically ill or disabled family members. The research literature has accumulated a comprehensive body of knowledge about young carers’ personal needs. However, knowledge and understanding are limited regarding the needs of young carers’ families. This knowledge can contribute to preventing children and adolescents from assuming inappropriate caring roles.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a family affair, affecting those with the injury and their families. Psychological distress, often measured as depression or depressive symptoms, is highly prevalent among family members. Predictors of depression in family members of civilians with TBI have been examined, but predictors of depression in family members of military veterans have received very little research attention and are poorly understood.

Background Health and social care services are under strain providing care in the community particularly at hospital discharge. Patient and carer experiences can inform and shape services. Objective To develop service user-led recommendations enabling smooth transition for people living with memory loss from acute hospital to community.

Background: Shared decision-making (SDM) is a means of allowing people with dementia to take part in making choices, be autonomous and participate in social activities. Involving them in SDM is an important way of promoting social health. However, including families and dementia residents in decision-making can be challenging for care staff working in nursing homes. The objective of this study was to identify barriers and facilitators regarding the implementation of an SDM framework for care planning in two nursing homes, one in Italy and one in the Netherlands.