Informational needs of family caregivers of people with intellectual disability who require palliative care: a two-phase integrative review of the literature

Young informal carers’ information needs communicated online: Professional and personal growth, finance, health and relationships

Young informal carers (YICs) are non-professional young individuals providing care and support in various forms, usually to immediate family members, afflicted from a diverse range of both long- and short-term health conditions. Although there is significant knowledge about the information needs of adult carers in general, information needs and information seeking characteristics of the YICs’ community are understudied and are different. This study aims to identify the information needs of YICs communicated over the Internet and understanding their information seeking characteristics through a three-stage qualitative content analysis of posts written by YICs on two notable Internet forums. The analysis of 323 posts dated between March 2010 and April 2019 finds YICs’ needs are categorised by two types of online expression of needs, situational and information. Situational needs are illustrations of current difficult conditions and information needs are direct requests for information. Under situational and information needs, we identify four types of needs expressed: personal and professional growth, health (self and caree), finance and relationships. In addition, the findings indicate 94.36% posts in the sample as situational needs, which depict the uncertainty experienced by YICs under caring circumstances. The findings can assist government organisations and charities by improving the indexing of advice pages of their websites appropriate to the YICs’ search words, better availability of information and advertising, in addition to building quality mobile applications or digital support tools.

Evaluating a partnership model of hospice enabled dementia care: A three-phased monitoring, focus group and interview study

BACKGROUND

People with dementia and their caregivers often lack equitable access to hospice care which is a concern internationally. Domains of best practice in palliative care for this population exist and hospices are urged to become dementia friendly.

AIM

This study aimed to evaluate the model of 'Hospice Enabled Dementia Partnership' mapped to international domains of best practice.

DESIGN

Three-phased monitoring, group interview and individual interview study using a formative evaluation framework.

SETTINGPARTICIPANTS

The partnership model was a collaboration between a large specialist palliative care hospice, a dementia charity and a Health Care Trust in the United Kingdom. Service documents were subjected to documentary review of monitoring activity and key indicators of service success. Group interviews and individual interviews took place with family carers (n = 12), health care professionals involved in delivering the service (n = 32) and senior professionals (n = 5) responsible for service commissioning in palliative or dementia care.

RESULTS

One hundred people with dementia were referred to the service between May 2016 and December 2017. Thirty-eight of the 42 people who died, achieved their preferred place of care and died at home. Four themes were derived from the data 'Impact of Dementia', 'Value of the Service', 'Information and Learning Needs' and 'Working in Partnership'.

CONCLUSIONS

Positive outcomes resulted from this best practice model; achievement of preferred place of care and death at home, dual benefits of therapies for patients and families and partnership in cross working and learning between services. Replication of this model should be considered internationally.

Determining the informational needs of family caregivers of people with intellectual disability who require palliative care: A qualitative study

OBJECTIVES

People with intellectual disabilities are living longer, and many require palliative care. There is a lack of evidence regarding information needs which may exist for their family caregivers. This study aimed to determine the informational needs of family caregivers of people with intellectual disabilities who require palliative care.

METHODS

A qualitative, exploratory design was underpinned by the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping and the Transformative Paradigm. The study involved five Health and Social Care (HSC) Trusts and two Hospices in one region of the United Kingdom. Family caregivers (n = 10) participated in individual interviews. HSC professionals' (n = 28) perceptions of informational needs were explored within focus groups (n = 6).

RESULTS

Family caregivers reported information needs chiefly concerning the disease, financial entitlements, and practical support which could change over the disease trajectory. Findings evidence the expertise of long-term family caregivers, prior to the end of life. Palliative care and intellectual disability teams acknowledged their role to work in partnership and facilitate access to information. Recommendations were mapped onto a co-designed logic model.

SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS

New insights into the specific informational needs of this family caregiving population. A co-designed logic model presents these needs and how they may be addressed. Central co-ordinators have been advocated for these caregivers. This model could have international applicability for similar family carers, supporting people with other disabilities or cognitive impairment, and should be further explored.