The results of this study support the use of the FSCI as a measure of family stress in research and practice.

Background Increasing numbers of adults with an intellectual disability are being cared for at home by ageing parents. The purpose of this study was to determine whether carer resources (i.e. social support and formal service use) and carer appraisals of ageing and stress/ burden mediate the relationships between (1) maladaptive behaviour and carer depression; (2) carer health and carer depression; (3) maladaptive behaviour and carer quality of life; and (4) carer health and carer quality of life. Methods Eighty parents over the age of 50 were interviewed using a number of measures concerning their overall health, perceptions of ageing and stress, depression, and their child's maladaptive behaviour.Results Carer perceptions of ageing and stress emerged as significant mediators of the relationship between carer health and depression. In addition, perceived carer stress emerged as a significant mediator of the relationship between maladaptive behaviour and carer depression. Resources and appraisals did not emerge as significant mediators in analyses using quality of life as a positive outcome. Conclusions Results highlight the important contributions of appraisals to well-being and raise questions for future research regarding the role of resources such as informal and formal support in the coping process.

This study focused on issues of concern to and service needs of older parents caring for an adult son or daughter with an acquired brain injury (ABI) in Ontario. Three issues were identified as particularly challenging: diagnosis of the brain injury, parents' feelings about the cause of the brain injury, and planning for long-term accommodation for their family member with a brain injury. The most frequently cited services needed for the person with ABI were social and/or recreational activities, day programs, and residential placement. The most frequently cited services needed by parents were parent education and support groups. The information gathered provides a base for further research in other sectors. Implications of these initial findings for clinical practice and policy and program development are discussed.

Understanding the experiences and stressors of education workers is critical for making improvements and planning for future emergency situations. Province-specific studies offer valuable information to understand the stressors of returning to the workplace. This study aims to identify the stressors education workers experienced when returning to work after months of school closures. This qualitative data is part of a larger study. Individuals completed a survey including a questionnaire and some open-ended questions in English and French. A total of 2349 respondents completed the qualitative portion of the survey, of which most were women (81%), approximately 44 years of age, and working as teachers (83.9%). The open-ended questions were analyzed using thematic analysis. Seven themes emerged from our analysis: (1) challenges with service provision and using technology; (2) disruption in work–life balance; (3) lack of clear communication and direction from the government and school administration; (4) fear of contracting the virus due to insufficient health/COVID-19 protocols; (5) increase in work demands; (6) various coping strategies to deal with the stressors of working during the COVID-19 pandemic; (7) lessons to be learned from working amid a global pandemic. Education workers have faced many challenges since returning to work. These findings demonstrate the need for improvements such as greater flexibility, training opportunities, support, and communication.