scholarly journals Identifying, Assessing, and Supporting Family Caregivers in Health and Long-Term Care: Progress and Opportunities

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 269-269
Author(s):  
Jennifer Wolff ◽  
Catherine Riffin
Keyword(s):  
Family Caregivers ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Research Policy ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Family Care ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Care Gap ◽  
Sustainable Solutions

Abstract Family caregivers are a largely hidden but vital workforce within medical and long-term care settings. Family caregivers are actively involved throughout care delivery systems and provide crucial assistance to people with chronic conditions. Building on the person- and family-centered care approach and recent recommendations from national organizations, this presentation sets forth a roadmap for research, policy, and practice that outlines practical solutions and opportunities to address existing barriers to systematic assessment and support of family caregivers in clinical practice. With the impending family care gap and projections for a steep decline in the availability of family caregivers in the coming decades, it is more important than ever to prepare health care systems for this shift. If put into action, the recommendations of this presentation can help to bridge the care gap by promoting sustainable solutions and infrastructure to ensure that families are recognized and adequately supported in care delivery settings.

scholarly journals #MoreThanAVisitor: Families as “Essential” Care Partners During COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Candace L Kemp
Keyword(s):  
Family Involvement ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Research Policy ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Direct Care ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Public Health Response ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Care Partners

Abstract The public health response to the current Coronavirus pandemic in long-term care communities, including assisted living, encompasses prohibiting visitors. This ban, which includes family members, has been criticized for being unfair, unhealthy, and unsafe. Against this backdrop, I examine the roles family play in residents’ daily lives and care routines. I argue that classifying family as “visitors” rather than essential care partners overlooks their critical contributions and stems from taken-for-granted assumption about gender, families, and care work, and I demonstrate why families are more than visitors. Policies that ban family visits also reflect a narrow understanding of health that focuses on mitigating infection risk, but neglects overall health and well-being. This policy further stems from a limited comprehension of care relations. Research shows that banning family visits has negative consequences for residents, but also families themselves, and direct care workers. I argue that identifying ways to better understand and support family involvement is essential and demonstrate the utility of the Convoys of Care model for guiding the reconceptualization of family in long-term care research, policy, and practice during and beyond the pandemic.

Combating Coronavirus Disease-2019 Outbreak in Long-Term Care Facilities for Frail Older Adults: Preventive Measures and Palliative Care Go Hand-in-Hand

2021 ◽  
pp. 082585972110393
Author(s):  
Hon Wai Benjamin Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Nursing Home Residents ◽  
Respiratory Illness ◽  
Term Care ◽  
The People ◽  
Care Facilities ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

While the whole population is at risk from infection with the coronavirus, older people—often frail and subject to multimorbidity—are at the highest risk for the severe and fatal disease. Despite strict infection control and social distancing measures, frail adults in long-term care facilities may be at particular risk of transmission of respiratory illness. Treatment decisions are often complex attributed to the heterogeneity of this population with regards to different geriatric domains such as functional status, comorbidity, and poly-pharmacy. While measures must be taken to prevent the novel coronavirus from spreading through these facilities, it is also essential that residents with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have access to the symptom management and support they want and deserve. What most nursing home residents want during the course of their illness is to be able to stay in their facilities, to be surrounded by the people they love most, and to feel relief from their physical and emotional pain. By addressing the limited access to hospice and palliative care delivery in nursing homes, we can prevent unnecessary suffering and pain from COVID-19 as well as lay the groundwork for improving care for all residents moving forward.

scholarly journals Hospital to Home: Supporting the Transition From Hospital to Home for Older Adults

2021 ◽  
pp. 084456212110443
Author(s):  
Brittany Barber ◽  
Lori Weeks ◽  
Lexie Steeves-Dorey ◽  
Wendy McVeigh ◽  
Susan Stevens ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Home Care ◽  
Family Caregivers ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Home Care Services ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Hospital To Home

Background An increasing proportion of older adults experience avoidable hospitalizations, and some are potentially entering long-term care homes earlier and often unnecessarily. Older adults often lack adequate support to transition from hospital to home, without access to appropriate health services when they are needed in the community and resources to live safely at home. Purpose This study collaborated with an existing enhanced home care program called Home Again in Nova Scotia, to identify factors that contribute to older adult patients being assessed as requiring long-term care when they could potentially return home with enhanced supports. Methods Using a case study design, this study examined in-depth experiences of multiple stakeholders, from December 2019 to February 2020, through analysis of nine interviews for three focal patient cases including older adult patients, their family or friend caregivers, and healthcare professionals. Results Findings indicate home care services for older adults are being sought too late, after hospital readmission, or a rapid decline in health status when family caregivers are already experiencing caregiver burnout. Limitations in home care services led to barriers preventing family caregivers from continuing to care for older adults at home. Conclusions This study contributes knowledge about gaps within home care and transitional care services, highlighting the importance of investing in additional home care services for rehabilitation and prevention of rapidly deteriorating health.

A comparison of caregiver burden between long-term care and developmental disability family caregivers

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (8) ◽  
pp. 781-793
Author(s):  
Alison Pattison ◽  
Elissa Torres ◽  
Lori Wieters ◽  
Jennifer G. Waldschmidt
Keyword(s):  
Family Caregivers ◽  
Caregiver Burden ◽  
Developmental Disability ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Role Strain ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Personal Strain

Background As the United States’ population ages and health concerns rise, the family caregiver occupation will continue to be an integral part of the health care system. Aims It is important to examine the burden that family caregivers experience so they can seek out additional training and services to maintain their own well-being. The researchers examined caregiver burden from a perspective of developmentally disabled and long-term care. Methods The researchers examined difference in Zarit scores, guilt, burden and personal strain for 72 caregivers of people with developmental disability (DD) or people with long-term care (LTC) needs. The researchers also examined differences in these based on whether the individual was caregiving for family or “others”. Results For DD, there were significant differences in Zarit, role strain and personal strain; caring for others has significantly lower scores on these. Role strain was significantly higher than personal strain, which was significantly higher than guilt for both LTC and DD groups. Conclusions Given these findings, it is important to support family caregivers first and foremost with role strain, especially for those caring for family members with DD. This support could be given through personal counselling, caregiver training, non-profit social service resources, and support groups for family caregivers.

Public-Private Partnership in Health and Long-Term Care

2018 ◽  
pp. 103-124
Author(s):  
Wing Tung Ho ◽  
Ben Yuk Fai Fong
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Public Private Partnership ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Related Services ◽  
Private Partnership ◽  
Aging Populations ◽  
Care Systems

An exponential growth in elderly population reflects a proportional increase in recourses that are unaffordable and unsustainable to the economy. This rapid demand for health services and long-term care not only leads to non-financial implication like shortage of manpower and long waiting time, but this also creates a large burden on health and related services in the public sector. Involving the private sector to provide better and more efficient facilities and services and to encourage innovation will enhance productivity, speed up project and service delivery, and increase opportunities for investment in health. This chapter examines existing problems within health care systems in aging populations such as Hong Kong, explores the advantages and challenges of Public Private Partnership (PPP), identifies successful factors in establishing PPPs models, reviews the PPP projects in Hong Kong and elsewhere and recommends methods in promoting PPP in health and long-term care as sustainable solutions.

scholarly journals INCLUDING FAMILY CAREGIVERS IN CANADIAN LONG TERM CARE: AMBIGUITY BETWEEN POLICY AND PRACTICE

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (suppl_1) ◽  
pp. 396-396
Author(s):  
J Keefe ◽  
D Taylor ◽  
B Parker ◽  
L Tay ◽  
H Cook
Keyword(s):  
Family Caregivers ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Term Care

Family Care for Older Adults With Disabilities: Toward More Targeted and Interpretable Research

2002 ◽  
Vol 54 (3) ◽  
pp. 205-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph E. Gaugler ◽  
Robert L. Kane ◽  
Rosalie A. Kane
Keyword(s):  
Family Involvement ◽  
Family Caregiving ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Family Care ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Residential Settings ◽  
The Past

Family care of the elderly is key to the long-term care system, and its importance has led to an abundance of research over the past two decades. Several methodological and substantive issues, if addressed, could create even more targeted and interpretable research. The present review critically examines methodological topics (i.e., definitions of family caregiving, measurement of caregiving inputs) and conceptual issues (i.e., family involvement in long-term residential settings, and the care receiver's perspective on care) that have received insufficient attention in the caregiving literature. Throughout this review recommendations are offered to improve these areas and advance the state of the art.

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