scholarly journals 411 - Implementing the STrAtegies for RelaTives (START) intervention in Portugal – preliminary findings

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (S1) ◽  
pp. 127-127
Author(s):  
Fatima Urzal ◽  
Ana Quintão ◽  
Catarina Santos ◽  
Nuno Moura ◽  
Ana Banazol ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Family Caregivers ◽  
Clinical Training ◽  
Unmet Needs ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Subjective Impression ◽  
Implementation Challenges ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
The Uk

IntroductionAs in other countries, Portuguese family caregivers have unmet needs regarding information and distress. START (STrAtegies for RelaTives) is a manual-based coping intervention for families of people with dementia, including coping strategies and stress-management components, by Livingston and colleagues (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/psychiatry/research/mental-health-older-people/projects/start). In the UK, START has been clinically effective, immediately and continuing even after 6-years, without increasing costs. Clinical training and supervision ensures treatment fidelity. In Portugal, these kind of interventions are less available and, when provided, are mostly supportive and fail to address coping strategies. Paradoxically, recruitment may also prove challenging.ObjectivesWe describe the development of the Portuguese translation of START, incorporating guidance from the UK team, and a pilot study of delivery to family caregivers of people with dementia. We will also discuss the challenges of recruiting participants and delivering the intervention.MethodWe translated the START intervention and recruited family caregivers from neurology and psychiatry outpatients, in a central hospital in Lisbon. Our baseline assessment included the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Zarit Burden Interview. The pilot is still ongoing at time of submitting, so we focus on recruitment, baseline assessments and process issues.ResultsDuring a three-month period, we recruited six caregivers. Five were primary caregivers (spouses or adult children) who had been caring for their relatives for 2 up to 10 years. Two caregivers met the international cutoff for clinically relevant affective disorder . The most frequent motivators for taking part were learning to communicate with their relatives and increasing knowledge to build community resources. Overall, the subjective impression of the therapist in charge is that the intervention seems acceptable and promising.Discussion/ConclusionsThis pilot study will eventually lead to an improved version of the Portuguese version of the START manual. So far, the intervention seems appropriate for selected caregivers in Portugal. However, response to striking unmet needs, particularly basic home support, may need to precede interventions like START. We look forward to concluding the intervention study and analyzing the implementation challenges, as a basis to inform a wider-scale trial.

Unmet needs of family caregivers of hospitalized older adults preparing for discharge home

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 131-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane McCusker ◽  
Mark Yaffe ◽  
Sylvie D Lambert ◽  
Martin Cole ◽  
Manon de Raad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Family Caregivers ◽  
Medical Information ◽  
Unmet Needs ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Care Hospital ◽  
Role Clarity ◽  
High Burden ◽  
Hospitalized Older Adults

Objectives To describe unmet needs of caregivers of hospitalized older adults during the transition from hospital back home, and identify subgroups with different needs. Methods Patients and family caregivers were recruited from an acute care hospital in Montreal, Canada. Measures included Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Zarit burden scale, and Family Inventory of Needs. Dimensions of unmet needs were explored with principal component analysis; regression tree models were used to identify subgroups with different unmet needs. Results A total of 146 patient-caregiver dyads were recruited. Three categories of caregiver unmet needs were identified: patient medical information; role clarity and support; and reassurance. Caregiver subgroups with highest unmet needs were those with high burden of care plus depressive symptoms ( n = 46) and those caring for patients with low IADL scores ( n = 10). Discussion Caregivers with high burden and depression are those with the greatest unmet needs during the care transition.

A Pilot Study on the Efficacy of Stress Relief Programs for Family Caregivers of Older People with Dementia

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (9) ◽  
pp. 824-831 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pi-Lan Tsai ◽  
Shu-Min Chan ◽  
Ru Shang Jiang ◽  
Shwu-Hua Lee ◽  
Jung Lung Hsu
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Older People ◽  
Family Caregivers ◽  
Stress Relief ◽  
People With Dementia

scholarly journals Caring for People With Dementia Under COVID-19 Restrictions: A Pilot Study on Family Caregivers

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Carbone ◽  
Rocco Palumbo ◽  
Alberto Di Domenico ◽  
Silvia Vettor ◽  
Giorgio Pavan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Family Caregivers ◽  
Psychological Symptoms ◽  
Significant Negative Correlation ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Social And Emotional ◽  
Care Recipients ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Emotional Loneliness

IntroductionThe present pilot study examined to what extent the COVID-19 lockdown affected the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in people with dementia and worsened their family caregivers’ distress. The associations between changes in the BPSD of relatives with dementia (RwD) and in their caregivers’ distress, and sense of social and emotional loneliness, and resilience were also investigated.Materials and MethodsThirty-five caregivers of RwD attending formal healthcare services before the COVID-19 lockdown volunteered for the study, and were interviewed by phone during the lockdown. Caregivers completed the NeuroPsychiatric Inventory (NPI) to assess their care recipients’ BPSD and their own distress, and two questionnaires assessing their social and emotional loneliness, and their resilience.ResultsNo clear changes emerged in either the BPSD of the RwD or the caregivers’ distress during lockdown compared with before the pandemic. Caregivers reporting more frequent and severe BPSD in their RwD before the lockdown scored higher on emotional loneliness. Those reporting more frequent and severe BPSD under lockdown, especially men and those taking care of RwD with more advanced dementia, scored higher on both social and emotional loneliness. A significant negative correlation also emerged between caregivers’ resilience and changes in their level of distress due to the lockdown, with female caregivers reporting greater resilience.DiscussionOur findings offer preliminary insight on the effects of loneliness and resilience, and on the influence of individual characteristics on the experience and consequences of informal caregiving for RwD in times of restrictions imposed by a pandemic.

Online and onsite training for family caregivers of people with dementia: results from a pilot study

2012 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia K. Y. Lai ◽  
L. F. Wong ◽  
Kit-Han Liu ◽  
Winnie Lui ◽  
M. F. Chan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Family Caregivers ◽  
People With Dementia

Psychosocial correlates of nutritional status of family caregivers of persons with dementia

2013 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laetitia Rullier ◽  
Alexia Lagarde ◽  
Jean Bouisson ◽  
Valérie Bergua ◽  
Marion Torres ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Status ◽  
Family Caregivers ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Mini Nutritional Assessment ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Nutritional Risk ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Integrative View

ABSTRACTBackground:This exploratory study investigated the associations of individual characteristics of both persons with dementia and family caregivers with the nutritional status of caregivers.Methods:This cross-sectional study was conducted at home by psychogerontologist within the frame of a community gerontological center in rural areas of south west France. The study participants comprised 56 community-dwelling persons with dementia (mean 80.7 years, SD 6.5) and 56 family caregivers (mean 70.9 years, SD 11.0). Persons with dementia were assessed with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Basic Activities Of Daily Living (ADL), Instrumental ADL (IADL), and NeuroPsychiatric Inventory (NPI), and family caregivers with the Burden Interview (Zarit scale), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI Y-B), the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), the emotional impact measure of NPI and the Autonomy, Gerontology and Group Resources scale (AGGIR scale). For both, nutritional status was evaluated using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA®).Results:Among family caregivers, 32.1% were at risk of malnutrition and 5.4% were malnourished, and among people with dementia, 58.9% and 23.2%, respectively. NPI severity score of apathy of persons with dementia (Beta = −0.342, p = 0.001), dependency on AGGIR scale (Beta = −0.336, p = 0.002), and CES-D score of caregivers (Beta = −0.365, p = 0.001) were associated with caregivers’ MNA score (Adjusted R2 = 0.480, p < 0.001).Conclusion:These preliminary findings emphasize the need for routine assessment of depressive symptoms, functional and nutritional status in dementia family caregivers, and confirm the value of investigating caregivers’ nutritional risk through an integrative view including psychosocial approach.

The experiences of Indian migrant care home staff working with people with dementia: a pilot study exploring cultural perspectives

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandon Ow Yong ◽  
Jill Manthorpe
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Care Home ◽  
Care Homes ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Content Type ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Uk

Purpose – Little is known about migrant Indian care workers working in long-term care facilities for people with dementia in England and the purpose of this paper is to remedy this lack of information in the light of political interest in immigration to the UK and continued staff shortages in parts of the social care sector. Design/methodology/approach – This pilot study investigated the experiences of workplace acculturation among 12 migrant Indian care workers who were employed in English care homes. Qualitative face-to-face interviews were conducted in 2013. Analysis of the interviews was conducted using principles of interpretative phenomenological analysis. Findings – Following analysis five themes emerged along an acculturation timeline. First, during the first six months of their employment, the migrant care workers recalled feeling vulnerable, seemingly marked by a sense of insecurity and an overwhelming state of cognitive burden within an unfamiliar cultural context. Second, simultaneously, the migrants felt perturbed about their new role as direct care workers. Third, few had been able to draw on their networks of friends and relatives to build up knowledge of their new work environments before starting care home employment. Fourth, two years into the work, although they reported feeling better adapted, psychological and socio-cultural adjustments were still thought to be needed. Fifth, most participants retained their ambition to be recognised as a qualified nurse in the UK and to pursue a nursing career outside the social care sector. Research limitations/implications – This is a pilot study in which 12 migrant Indian care home workers were interviewed. Further interviews might provide a greater range of views and experiences. The care homes that participated in this research were in the London region where staff shortages are common in dementia services such as care homes. Practical implications – The findings suggest a need for employers and human resource managers to respond to the specific needs of Indian and other migrants working with older people who are resident in care homes. Such responses should reflect the timeline of their acculturation and employers need also to acknowledge and address aspirations to move on to NHS work. Originality/value – This study is unique to the best of the authors’ knowledge in addressing Indian care workers specifically as a substantial part of the migrant care workforce in the UK. It offers information about their perceptions and suggests practical human response and managerial initiatives.

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