Technical support for family caregivers

• The aim of this project was to investigate if support received by family care givers in the form of products, technology and web-based services corresponds to their needs when taking care of a person aged over 65 years at home. Questionnaires related to activity limitations, need for support and received support were distributed nationally and answered by 368 family care givers and 332 occupational therapists, who had met family care givers within their services. Furthermore, 58 family care givers were individually interviewed. The results from the questionnaires demonstrated that family care givers experienced activity limitations with the person they take care of to a higher degree than their expressed need for support in the form of products/technology and web-based services. In addition, they stated their need for support as greater than that they had received. Family care givers experienced activity limitations with the person they took care of to a higher degree than occupational therapists within all nine activity areas in WHO’s classification of functioning, disability and health (ICF). Family care givers expressed a need for products/technology to a larger or to the same extent as occupational therapists. Exceptions were mobility and personal care, where occupational therapists perceived the need for products/technology as greater than the family care givers. When it comes to web-based services, data was not sufficient to enable a comparison between family care givers’ and occupational therapists’ perceptions. The results from the interview studies conducted in two counties indicated that information on what could be offered needs to be improved and that family care givers expressed a desire for improved follow-up of the prescriptions given. Their knowledge of web-based services was limited, but they considered them to be good, especially for others than themselves. Additionally, the family care givers thought that the products and technology they had become aware of needed to be developed to be more user-friendly, but felt that those they had received brought them security, safety and independence. In conclusion, it is important to consider the point of view of the family care giver and their perception of activity limitations with the person they take care of in order to provide relevant information and appropriate support in form of products, technology and web-based services for the person they are caring for.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Arbetsterapi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Occupational Therapy (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

occupational therapists

ICF

interview studies

national survey

products

support for next of kin

technology

web-based services

Occupational therapy

Arbetsterapi

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

kon (ämneskategori)