Family Caregivers

Question 1

Who are caregivers?

Answer 1

A family member/friend/someone providing care and support for a person with chronic health condition, disability, or issue r/t aging. Can be any age.

Question 2

Diversity in caregiving?

Answer 2

Can be youth caring for parents/siblings. Elders can care for their spouses when they’re older. Caregivers can be needed to travel if they live in rural communities.

Question 3

Who are the care recipients usually?

Answer 3

Frail, CVS disease, cancer, dementia, MS, stroke, parkinson’s disease, mental illness, and disability.

Question 4

Family caregiver tasks?

Answer 4

Arrange medical appointments, provide medical care, provide emotional support, perform personal care, assist with ADLs, take care of household, and manage finances

Question 5

Factors that influence caregiver roles (4 of them)?

Answer 5

1. Type of illness (physical vs neurological, chronic vs short term, curable vs not, progressive vs not)
2. Age/abilities of care recipient
3. Physical distance to care recipient (living together vs having to take plane to see them- most difficult)
4. Relation to recipient (who’s the parent vs child)

Question 6

6 stages of care trajectory?

Answer 6

1. At diagnosis
2. During hospitalization and treatment
3. Transitioning home
4. Home care
5. Beyond treatment
6. End of life

Each stage has different caregiver tasks and health effects on the caregiver

Question 7

Impact on caregivers?

Answer 7

Physical (depression, loss of appetite, exhaustion), emotional (anxiety, overwhelmed, distressed), social (isolation, reduced time for social activities), financial (cost for caregivers comes out of family pockets), psychological (distress), spiritual and elder mistreatment.

Question 8

What is caregiver strain/burden?

Answer 8

When care demands exceed the caregiver’s resources and they have difficulty functioning as a caregiver. Has adverse emotional, social, financial, physical, and spiritual effects. Can also have an effect on their sleep.

Question 9

Stats for caregiver distress?

Answer 9

Lots are distressed (1 in 3), over 95% are unpaid, and they have difficulty continuing to provide care.

Question 10

Benefits of caregiving?

Answer 10

Personal growth, increased meaning and purpose, sense of giving back, strengthened relationships with care recipient, and satisfaction knowing recipient is receiving high quality care.

Question 11

Nurse’s role with caregivers (3 parts)?

Answer 11

1. Assessing caregiver burden
2. Initiating conversations
3. Interventions

Question 12

Assessing caregiver burden?

Answer 12

Context of care (educational background, supports at home), perception of recipients overall health, caregiver values/health/knowledge and skills/resources. Can use screening tools that’s relevant based on age/illness.

Question 13

Different types of screening tools?

Answer 13

Caregiver strain index, self rated burden, caregiver stress assessment checklist, zarit caregiver burden assessment, and caregiver burden inventory. They evaluate objective measures (# of hrs providing care, # of tasks) and subjective measures (emotional reactions).

Question 14

Initiating conversation?

Answer 14

Can ask:
Who/what gives you support?
How are you coping with responsibilities of caregiving?
Tell me how you are feeling right now.

Question 15

Interventions?

Answer 15

Cognitive behavioural (alter thinking), psycho education (counselling, education), supportive care, caregiver training/skill development, couples therapy, decision aids, and mindfulness-based stress reduction (program, does stuff like yoga or deep breathing).

Question 16

Framework to CARE for caregivers?

Answer 16

C- caregiver wellbeing: explore their access to physical/mental healthcare, ADLs, obtain social work if needed
A- advance care planning: discuss plans for long term care, ensure documentation for health care proxy
R- respite: often not offered, can find opportunities like home care program or family support, home health aide
E- education: educate caregivers on resources, refer to counselling/therapy, suggest support groups

Question 17

Supportive care for caregivers?

Answer 17

Identify needs, provide support in decision making about place of death/treatment, emotional support, organizing respite care, and giving them practical education

Question 18

True or false: caregivers want to be acknowledged as part of healthcare team

Answer 18

True. This ensures their perspective is really heard

Question 19

Support priorities in Saskatchewan?

Answer 19

Access to help when needed, someone to listen/lean on, help optimizing the care recipient’s health, healthcare professionals that care, and improved policies/legislation/regulation.

Question 20

What is home care?

Answer 20

Helps people who need end of life/rehab/long term supportive care to remain independent at home. Some services included are assessment, nursing, care coordination, meal service, and personal care.

Question 21

What is respite care?

Answer 21

Provision of short term/temporary relief to those caring for family members (can be in home or drop off program). Most families pay out of pocket (there’s some publicly funded jurisdictions in Canada).

Question 22

What percentage of people age 15+ are caregivers?

Answer 22

3 in 10 Canadians (30%)