Expressed Information and Resource Needs of Filial Caregivers Reporting Recent Experiences of Crisis

Abstract

In this descriptive study, 92 adult children of parents with cognitive impairment preselected for recent experiences of crisis were interviewed regarding their concerns and goals for caregiving and asked to identify their most important needs for meeting parent care requirements. The 299 information and 261 resource requests identi ed were organized as either primary and secondary priorities according to their frequency. This organization revealed primary needs for learning regarding coping, relating, and mastery of caregiving and secondary needs relating to information about life processes (i.e., aging and chronicity), how to access resources, and freedom from threat or harm. It also revealed primary resource needs in the domains of personal assistance, assets, and getting away as well as secondary resource needs relating to knowledge and safety. The content of these needs points to adult children's awareness of the decline of their parents, personal anxiety or exhaustion, insuf cient mastery of caregiving, and reluctance to continue indenitely in the role of lial caregiver. It also indicates their awareness of insuf cient preparedness for providing parent care, need for help, and desire to relate more effectively with others. These ndings have implications for educational research to develop interventions that might facilitate lial maturity and the socialization of adult children into the role of caregiver in critical parent care situations.Epidemiological studies have revealed that approximately 5% to 10% of individuals over the age of 65 have problems with cognitive impairment (Lee, 1999). At least 70% of those with a dementing disorder receive care in the community, and nearly one third of these individuals receive their care from adult children, mostly daughters (Prescop, Dodge, Morycz, Schulz, & Ganguli, 1999). Insuf cient experience and

Living With an Aging Parent

“…Identified learning needs included approaches to coping, interacting effectively with their care recipient (CR), accessing resources and ways to minimize harm or danger. 24 …”

Needs and Supports for Family Caregivers of Chronically Ill Elders

“…Filial caregivers reported priority learning needs in the areas of coping, relating, mastery of caregiving skills, and time management (England, 2001). Nearly 60% of the filial caregivers wanted to learn how to manage stress, and more than 26% wanted to know more about coping with death.…”

“…In terms of relating, one third of the filial caregivers wanted to learn how to give emotional support and how to ask for help. Secondary learning needs were for information about aging, nursing home placement, use of nurses, and other community resources (England, 2001). The factors that limit elders' and family caregivers' choices include the availability of services in their region (Hanson, Tetley, & Shewan, 2000;Tinker, McCreadie, Wright, & Salvage, 1994), extent to which people know about the options available, loneliness and social isolation of family caregivers (Hanson et al, 2000), difficulty adapting the physical environment for wheelchair access, and lack of time to search for the most appropriate care.…”

Knowing the diagnosis and counselling the relatives of a person with dementia: the perspective of home nurses and home care workers in Belgium

“…1995, Turner & Street 1999, Adamson 2001, Yeaworth 2001, Thomas et al . 2002, Wackerbarth & Johnson 2003) and service‐related information, such as care structures and available financial support (Turner & Street 1999, England 2001, Yeaworth 2001, Thomas et al . 2002, Wackerbarth & Johnson 2003).…”

“…2002, Wackerbarth & Johnson 2003). Apart from information, family caregivers need more advice on how to cope with the behavioural changes which are inherent in dementia (Delany & Rosenvinge 1995, Turner & Street 1999, England 2001). In addition, relatives need emotional support since they are coping with stress, loss and their own emotions (Turner & Street 1999, Yeaworth 2001, Wackerbarth & Johnson 2003).…”