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Background Being an informal carer of a person with dementia (PwD) can have a negative effect on the carer’s health and quality of life, and spouse carers have been found to be especially vulnerable. Yet relatively little is known about the care provided and support received by spouse carers. This study compares spouse carers to other informal carers of PwDs regarding their care provision, the support received and the psychosocial impact of care. Methods The study was a cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey of a stratified random sample of the Swedish population aged 18 or over. The questionnaire explored how much care the respondent provided, the support received, and the psychosocial impact of providing care. Of 30,009 people sampled, 11,168 (37.7 %) responded, of whom 330 (2.95 %) were informal carers of a PwD. Results In comparison to non-spouse carers, spouse carers provided more care more frequently, did so with less support from family or the local authority, while more frequently experiencing negative impacts on their social life and psychological and physical health. Spouse carers also received more carer support and more frequently experienced a closeness in their relationship with the care-recipient. Conclusions Spouse carers of PwD differed from non-spouse carers on virtually all aspects of their care situation. Policy and practice must be more sensitive to how the carer-care-recipient relationship shapes the experience of care, so that support is based on an understanding of the individual carer’s actual needs and preferences rather than on preconceptions drawn from a generalised support model.

Multimorbidity, a condition common among older adults, may be regarded as a failure of a complex system. The aim of this study was to describe the core components in health and social care management for older adults with multimorbidity. A cross-sectional design included two methods: individual interviews and group discussions. A total of 105 participants included older adults with multimorbidity and their relatives, care staff and healthcare policymakers. Data were analysed using content analysis. The results show that seven core components comprise a multiperspective view of health and social care management for older adults with multimorbidity: political steering, leadership, cooperation, competence, support for relatives, availability and continuity. Steps should be taken to ensure that every older adult with multimorbidity has a treatment plan according to a multiperspective view to prevent fragmentation of their health care. This study provides relevant evidence developing a multiperspective model of health and social care management for older adults with multimorbidity.

Background and aim: Spouse carers of a person with dementia report feeling lonely and trapped in their role, lacking support and having no time to take care of their own health. In Sweden, the support available for family carers is not specialised to meet the needs of spouse carers of people with dementia. The aim of the study described in this paper was to explore spouse carers' experiences of caring for a partner with dementia, their everyday life as a couple and their support needs. Methods: Nine spouse carers of a partner with dementia living at home were recruited through a memory clinic and a dementia organisation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with

Individuals with multimorbidity commonly have several concurrent prescriptions and experience healthcare obstacles related to managing different diagnoses and medications. This study aimed to provide a deeper understanding of how older adults with multimorbidity experience medication self-management and how this is affected by the healthcare system. The National Board of Research Ethics approved the study, and 20 older adults with multimorbidity participated in in-depth interviews that were analysed using a hermeneutic approach. Three levels of interpretation emerged. At the first level, lack of participation in healthcare communication hinders adherence and safety, and feeling abandoned to self-care leads to health risk-taking. At the second level, the healthcare organisation is seen as an obstacle to medication self-management. The overall interpretation was a system of repairing 'parts' but not enabling the experience of health. This study shows that the healthcare system is able to treat and relieve an individual's symptoms, but seems unable to help them achieve and promote good health, or to provide the support they need to function in everyday life.

Health care professionals can give support and show understanding for older people's existential uncertainty by creating good relationships and continuity in care, and offering appropriate information. Regular visits should be scheduled to manage any problems patients might have when self-medicating.