The concept of informal care: ambiguities and controversies on its scientific and political uses

Navigating post-ICU care: understanding family members' experiences - a qualitative study

Background

Comprehending and addressing the needs of caregivers during the post-intensive care unit (ICU) phase is vital for establishing sustainable support systems and improving the overall quality of life (QoL) for both patients and caregivers.

Objective

To explore the experiences of family members (FMs) caring for loved ones three-months after ICU discharge and their related QoL.

Methods and measures

A qualitative, descriptive research was conducted. Participants were recruited from two general ICUs in an Italian Academic Hospital. Data collection lasted two months and was performed with telephonic interviews led by ICU nurses. Thematic analysis was conducted using a hybrid approach, incorporating both deductive and inductive coding strategies. This process has been facilitated by Atlas.ti software.

Results

Twenty-four FMs participated, representing a diverse range of familial relationships with the patients. Thematic analysis revealed four overarching themes: 1) QoL underwent transformations; 2) Positive emotions laden with significance; 3) Supporting role taken on by a caregiver; and 4) Life's transience through the meaning-making of the illness event. These themes highlighted the multifaceted nature of the caregiving experience.

Conclusions

This study provides valuable insights into the challenges and dynamics faced by FMs following ICU discharge. Findings underscore the importance of addressing environmental challenges, cultivating positive emotions, and strengthening caregiver-patient relationships to enhance the caregiving experience and promote overall QoL. FMs can adapt their personal concepts and reach their full potential by learning to coexist with the demanding role of caregiver and achieve a new level of resilience and fulfillment.

Time value of informal care of people with alzheimer's disease in Spain: a population-based analysis

The aims of this paper are to estimate the monetary value of informal care for people with Alzheimer's disease (AD) in Spain, to compare results with those obtained in 2008 and to analyse the main determinants of the time of the value of informal care. The Survey on Disabilities, Autonomy and Dependency carried out in Spain in 2020/21 was used to obtain information about disabled individuals with AD and their informal caregivers. Assessment of informal care time was carried out using two alternative approaches: the replacement method, and the contingent valuation method (willingness to pay & willingness to accept). The number of people with AD residing in Spanish households and receiving informal care rose to more than 200,000, representing an increase of 43% compared with 2008. The average number of hours of informal care per week ranged from 86 to 101 h, with an estimated value of between €31,584 - €37,019 per year per caregiver (willingness to accept) or €71,653 - €83,984 per year (replacement). The annual total number of caregiving hours ranged between 896 and 1,061 million hours, representing between 0.52 and 0.62 of GDP in 2021 (willingness to accept) or 1.19-1.40 of GDP (replacement). The level of care needs plays a central role in explaining heterogeneity in estimates. These results should be taken into account by decision-makers for long-term care planning in the coming years.