Improving Caregiver Health through Systematic Assessment and a Tailored Plan of Care

Abstract

Caregivers often experience strain and negative effects on their well-being. We tested the effects of a caregiver assessment and tailored care plan for caregivers of patients transitioning home from an inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF), a study involving two groups: usual care ( n = 225) (preimplementation) and intervention (postimplementation) ( n = 215). Caregivers in the intervention group were assessed using the 25-item self-reported Preparedness Assessment for the Transition Home during the IRF stay. A tailored care plan was implemented in response to the assessment. Caregivers in both groups completed the Modified Caregiver Strain Index and Global Health Scale at 30- and 90-day postdischarge. After adjusting for baseline and demographics, caregivers in the intervention group reported lower strain ( p < .01) and better overall health ( p < .05) at 30-day post-IRF discharge, relative to usual care. Implementing a systematic caregiver assessment and tailored care plan in the IRF may mitigate the adverse effects of caregiving.

Family systems nursing conversations (FSNCs) have the potential to improve family functioning and well-being

“…For example, the Family-Integrated Care Model was implemented successfully with families in the neonatal intensive care unit to improve family and neonate outcomes 1. Multiple studies over the past decade have advocated for expanding a family-centred care model to management of chronic illness in adults 2–4. Interventions guided by family-systems theory using nurse-led structured conversations with patients and their families have been tested in home healthcare settings 2.…”

Nursing’s Role in Successful Stroke Care Transitions Across the Continuum: From Acute Care Into the Community

“…52 Camicia and colleagues identified implementation of a program such as this results in improved caregiver health and decreased caregiver strain at 30 days postdischarge. 53 Ideally, the caregiver and patient care plans are linked in a family care plan. Completion of a caregiver assessment instrument, such as the PATH-s, may aid caregivers in recognizing potential unmet needs and concerns about the caregiving role and provoke anticipation and cues to action to begin addressing their concerns before IRF discharge.…”

Family Caregiving across the Lifespan and Conditions: Special Issue on Family Caregiving

“…Following, is a comprehensive study of caregivers’ use of personal and social resourcefulness across conditions (i.e., mental illness, dementia, traumatic brain injury, stroke, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, cancer, multiple conditions, other conditions) (Zauszniewski et al, 2021). Two quality intervention papers are presented: one testing efficacy of a resourcefulness intervention for parent caregivers of technology-dependent children (Toly et al, 2021), and another testing a systematic assessment and tailored plan of care within rehabilitation settings (Camicia et al, 2021). A methodology paper focuses on the development of a caregiving burden scale for family caregivers of children with cancer.…”