Direct and indirect support for carers: patterns of support for informal caregivers to elderly people in Sweden

This study examines what support services are offered to informal caregivers and whether the support is aimed directly or indirectly at the carers. Data were collected by means of two mail questionnaires in a Swedish county. The first questionnaire was aimed at each municipality in the region. The second questionnaire was sent to a random sample of 284 voluntary organizations in the region. Only the municipalities proved to have relief services, day care centres and two forms of payment for carers. The voluntary organisations' support for carers was focused on support groups and training as well as services for elderly care recipients. The results indicated that the support services for carers were both direct and indirect and that the municipalities and the voluntary organisations largely offer different kinds of support.