What support is beneficial for caregivers of individuals with vision impairment?

Quality of life of caregivers of children with visual impairment: A qualitative approach

BACKGROUND

Receiving a diagnosis of a child with untreatable visual impairment (VI) may have a negative impact on parents and caregivers, and affect their quality of life (QoL).

AIMS

To use a qualitative research approach to determine the impact that caregiving a child with a VI has on the QoL of caregivers in Catalonia (Spain).

METHODS

An observational study was designed in which nine parents of children with VI (6 mothers) were recruited following an intentional sampling scheme. In-depth interviews were conducted, and a thematic analysis was performed to identify main themes and subthemes. The QoL domains defined in the questionnaire WHOQoL-BREF guided data interpretation.

RESULTS

An overarching theme was defined (the weight on one's shoulders), as well as two main themes (obstacles race and emotional impact) and seven subthemes. QoL was negatively affected by a general lack of knowledge and understanding regarding VI in children and its implications for children and caregivers, whereas social support, gaining knowledge, or cognitive reappraisal had a positive effect.

CONCLUSIONS

Caregiving for children with VI affects all QoL domains, resulting in persistent psychological distress. Both administrations and health care providers are encouraged to develop strategies to assist caregivers in their demanding roles.

An exploratory study on support for caregivers of people with vision impairment in the UK

Purpose

Many of the UK's 2.5 million individuals living with vision loss receive support from relatives or friends (so‐called ‘informal caregivers’). However, there is limited understanding of how caregivers of people with visual impairment (PVI) are, or feel, supported by UK healthcare/statutory services and charities. This exploratory study was conducted to explore caregivers' experiences and their suggestions for enhancing support.

Methods

Participants self‐identifying as UK‐based caregivers of PVI (N = 100) volunteered to undertake an online survey, distributed through charity partners. The survey was comprised of the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire‐8 (CSQ‐8, a validated, self‐report measure of satisfaction with support services), Likert‐type questions and two open‐ended, free‐text questions. Interview participants (N = 22) were then selected from survey respondents, and semi‐structured interviews were conducted to focus on caregivers' ideas for improving support. The Framework Method was used for inductive analysis of the free‐text question responses and interview data.

Results

The mean (SD) CSQ‐8 score was 21.60 (7.2), with no significant differences by demographic, relationship or vision‐related factors, likely limited by the small subgroup sizes. Qualitative data demonstrated the heterogeneity of participating caregivers' experiences, highlighting the importance of personalised support for caregivers. Many participants advocated enhancing informational, practical, emotional and social support for caregivers, and stressed the importance of accessible services and consistent points of contact to turn to for support and advice.

Conclusions

Although our sample was arguably better connected to support services than the general caregiver population, this study identified concrete suggestions to improve practical, emotional and peer support for caregivers of PVI.