English

There are at least six million unpaid carers in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and 1.25 million provide at least 50 hours of care a week.1 One in five households contains a carer.2 Sixteen per cent of carers are over 65, and half of those being cared for are 75 or older.3 Many are ‘round the clock’ carers. Carers are the bedrock of the care and support system; the vast majority of care needs are provided by unpaid carers at home.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has long-lasting consequences not only for the individual with the injury but also for family members. The aim of this study is to elucidate the meaning of family members' experiences of living with an individual with moderate or severe TBI. The data have been collected by means of qualitative research interviews with eight family member participants. A phenomenological hermeneutic interpretation (Ricouer, 1976) of the data reveal that family members struggle with their own suffering while showing compassion for the injured person.

A key feature of population ageing in Europe and other more economically developed countries is the projected unprecedented rise in need for long-term care in the next two decades. There is, however, considerable uncertainty over the future supply of unpaid care for older people by their adult children. The future of family care is particularly important in countries planning to reform their long-term care systems, as is the case in England.

To review the evidence for different models of community-based respite care for frail older people and their carers, where the participant group included older people with frailty, disability, cancer or dementia. Where data permitted, subgroups of carers and care recipients, for whom respite care is particularly effective or cost-effective, were to be identified.

The purpose of this article is to propose a method to facilitate analysis of the processes involved in the transformation of support networks for caregivers of persons with dementia. The authors are particularly interested in the preliminary phases of the caregiver's career: the initial period ranging from the first manifestations of dementia to the confirmation of a diagnosis. This method combines the social network approach with narratice analysis.

Aim.  This paper presents findings from a study that was designed to understand, from the perspective of cancer patients and their family caregivers, what spiritual care is wanted from nurses.

Background.  Distressing and transformative spiritual responses to living with cancer have been documented. Although there is momentum for providing spiritual care, previous research provides scanty and conflicting evidence about what are the clients’ wishes or preferences with regard to receiving spiritual care from nurses.

BACKGROUND: Previous research has focused on the longer term needs of 'new' stroke patients at fixed time intervals after the event, but neglected those of stroke patients who may have had the event many years earlier.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the long-term support needs of patients with prevalent stroke, and their carers identified from practice stroke registers.

DESIGN OF STUDY: Patients and their carers were invited to attend focus groups at the university, a nursing home or in the community.

The carers grant has been doubled and its long-term future secured as part of a new spending programme on adult care. But even now less than five per cent of carers will get the breaks from caring that they deserve, says Katie Leason. 

Examines some issues related to the grant given by the government to caregivers in the U.S. Aim of the grant; Expansion of the carers grant program; Benefits of the grant to caregivers; Limitations of the grant program.

The changing role of users and carers in the care system is examined. The four main user groups are identified as those with physical disabilities, learning disabilities or mental health problems and older people. The growth of the Disabled Living Movement since the 1970s has radically altered thinking and policy, but changes in practice have been slower. Normalisation theory has dominated service development for those with learning disabilities. Difficulties in implementing a care in the community policy for mental health are discussed.

Findings from a survey in 2000 ['Carers 2000', Joanne Maher and Hazel Green] and the 2001 census have revealed the extent of unpaid caring for family members and friends and the effects on the carers.