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Larkin, Mary

Carers and higher education: Where next?

Background: Although widening access policies have led to greater prioritisation of carers in higher education, strategies to address their needs remain underdeveloped. Objective: This paper puts forward a dual approach to progressing this agenda that recognises all students who have or have had experience of caring. Methods: Using an established theoretical lens on retention, institutional strategies for improving the success of carers studying in higher education are proposed.

Fri, 08/05/2022 - 20:14

Exemplar models and support for older carers and carers of people with dementia: informing commissioning

This is the report of a project commissioned by NHS England in support of its Commitment to Carers programme. The focus of the work was to scope exemplar models of support for older carers, and carers of people with dementia (of any age). The project reviewed existing literature and knowledge and used this as the foundation for examining developments with invited third sector organisations using an on-line questionnaire and additional semi-structured interviews.

Sun, 10/28/2018 - 18:43

The carer-related knowledge exchange network (CAREN): enhancing the relationship between research and evidence and policy and practice

Although there is now an extensive international body of research and evidence about care and carers it is fragmented and disparate. Without synthesis, organisation and accessibility it cannot effectively inform and improve policy and practice with carers. This paper makes the case for an accessible carer-related research and evidence resource for stakeholders in carer-related domains across policy, practice, research to address this systemic deficit in the carers field. The Carer-related Knowledge Exchange Network (CAREN) has recently been established in recognition of this case.

Thu, 08/16/2018 - 13:36

What do we know about older former carers? Key issues and themes

Despite a significant growth in the number older former family carers, they remain largely invisible in carer-related research and literature. To begin to address this deficit, a four-stage literature review was conducted to identify existing knowledge about older former carers. Narrative synthesis of the findings yielded five themes - the concept of 'older former carer', the legacies of caring, influences on the legacies of caring, conceptualising post-caring and support services for older former carers.

Wed, 08/15/2018 - 13:30

Carer-related research and knowledge: Findings from a scoping review

The review discussed in this paper provides a unique synthesis of evidence and knowledge about carers. The authors adopted a scoping review methodology drawing on a wide range of material from many different sources published between 2000 and 2016. It offers key insights into what we know and how we know it; reinforces and expands evidence about carers’ profile; shows knowledge is uneven, e.g. much is known about working carers, young carers and carers of people with dementia but far less is about older carers or caring for someone with multiple needs.

Sun, 07/15/2018 - 20:39

Life after caring: The post-caring experiences of former carers

This qualitative study was informed by grounded theory and data were gathered primarily through semi-structured in-depth interviews with thirty-seven theoretically sampled former carers. They were all white British, lived in the East Midlands and were predominately over sixty (68 per cent) and female (70 per cent). With the exception of one, all had cared for a close relative, 65 per cent having cared for a partner/spouse. Most of their dependants were older adults and each case the cessation of caring had coincided with the death of the dependant.

Thu, 07/20/2017 - 15:22

Group support during caring and post-caring: the role of carers groups

This article discusses the findings about the role of face-to-face carers groups which emerged from a qualitative, interpretive study of 37 former carers' experiences in the UK. The study was informed by grounded theory and semi-structured in-depth interviews were used as the main method of data collection. The advantages and disadvantages of carers groups during caring and post-caring that were identified are presented.

Thu, 07/20/2017 - 15:21

Developing the knowledge base about carers and personalisation: contributions made by an exploration of carers' perspectives on personal budgets and the carer-service user relationship

This qualitative study aimed to explore an under-researched issue within the emerging body of research about carers and personalisation - the carer-service user relationship. It was carried out across 11 English local authorities between 2011 and 2012 and focused on the impact of a change in the service user's social care arrangements to a personal budget on this relationship.

Thu, 07/20/2017 - 15:12