mental health

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.

The aims of the study were to summarise available research evidence, to identify key gaps in existing knowledge and to identify priorities for further research in the area of services to support carers. The literature review examined and summarised evidence from published and unpublished literature (both UK and international) between 1985 and 2001 about effective and cost-effective services to support carers.

Crisis resolution teams (CRTs) deliver acute mental health care in the community. This care implies collaboration with carers. The article explores experiences of mental health crisis from the carer’s perspective and what carers experience as helpful and/or unhelpful help from CRTs. In-depth interviews with carers are analyzed using a narrative approach. The configuration of data elements into coherent stories reveals that thematically similar experiences also have a highly personal imprint.

This guideline covers preventing, diagnosing, assessing and managing dementia in health and social care, and includes recommendations on Alzheimer’s disease. It aims to improve care for people with dementia by promoting accurate diagnosis and the most effective interventions, and improving the organisation of services.

Government policy has directed local services to address the needs of carers as a way of maintaining care in the community. This study was initiated to enable carers to develop an information pack based upon their identified needs. Cooperative inquiry was the method used to ensure full participation of the carers. Group meetings were already in existence through a charity organization who provides a carers support network. The first author participated in a number of carers group meetings.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the leading causes of dependency among older adults and of institutionalization in Europe. The number of people with AD is estimated in 10 million people and the cost of the disease has been recently estimated in 100.000 million of euros per year in the European Union (European Brain Council, 2011). There is nowadays no effective treatment of the disease.

Purpose of review: To summarize the latest research on the risks and consequences of the burden that may be imposed on informal carers of persons living and dying with advanced heart failure.

Recent findings: A systematic search in PubMed over the period 2013?2014 ultimately revealed 24 original articles included in this review. From this research update it can be concluded that the body of knowledge increased with more studies focusing on caregivers of patients with advanced heart failure.