Article

Focuses on a research on older people who combine the caring role with paid employment. Stages of data collection used in the study; Findings of the research concerning employment policies; Reasons behind the decrease in the number of informal carers.

Long-term care in the UK relies heavily on informal and unpaid carers. Statistical data regarding the number of carers in the 2001 Census compared with the 2011 Census identify an increase of around 600 000 carers. It is also significant that many of these carers are themselves in their late middle age. The reasons for taking on the caring role are varied, but there are significant potential physical, mental and financial issues associated with taking on the caring role. Positive benefits in terms of support provision for the carer do exist, but support services across the UK are variable.

Sustaining independent living for elderly people in their own homes is desirable for various reasons. As older people become frail or disabled, a ‘gap’ appears between the abilities they still have and the abilities that are required for independent living. To a certain extent robots may close this gap by providing functionality lost through frailty or disability. A scenario was created involving a re-enablement coach robot. This scenario was discussed with older people, informal carers, and care professionals in focus groups in the Netherlands, United Kingdom and France.

Background No previous research exists specifically exploring the needs of those people severely affected by multiple sclerosis (MS).

Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with people identified by the referring health or social care professional as being severely affected by their MS and informal carers, in order to explore their perceptions of their illness and care. The data were analysed for themes using the constant comparative approach.

This article focuses on a 2007 survey by "Community Care" which found that almost half of young carers will spend a number of hours caring for another member of their family on Christmas Day. Forty-six per cent of young carers have not talked to a social worker in the last year about the support they need, according to the survey of 109 young carers aged eight-16 in Great Britain. The survey also revealed reluctance among young carers to want more professional support.

Background: The paper is a review of relevant information from literature sources concerned with the phenomenon of education. The authors refer to education as to a process of personality development influenced by both formal educational institutions and informal environmental impact. Informal environment comprises the family, community groups, counselling facilities and friends. Due to increasing health expenditure, care is moved away from institutions. Therefore, the educational process is also encountered in patients'/clients' homes.

ABSTRACT Telecare is often regarded as a win/win solution to the growing problem of meeting the care needs of an ageing population. In this paper we call attention to some of the ways in which telecare is not a win/win solution but rather aggravates many of the long-standing ethical tensions that surround the care of the elderly. It may reduce the call on carers' time and energy by automating some aspects of care, particularly daily monitoring. This can release carers for other caring activities. On the other hand, remote and impersonal monitoring seems to fall short of providing care.

This scoping review addressed the following questions: (a) What types of caregiver interventions are being done in both aging and developmental disability research? (b) How are these interventions similar and different? (c) What kinds of outcomes do these interventions have? (d) What innovative approaches are these interventions using? and (e) What can each field (developmental disabilities and gerontology) learn from the other based on this review?