Mike Tomlinson - husband of Jane Tomlinson CBE backs free and flexible carers programme.
Caring with Confidence, a free Department of Health backed knowledge and skills based learning experience for carers in England, has today been launched - with the aim of helping carers make a positive difference to their life and that of the person they care for.
Around 4.91 million people are estimated to provide unpaid care in England and new research2 from Caring with Confidence has revealed as many as 62% - or more than three million do not view themselves as carers.
To address this major national issue, the programme will offer support and help to carers across England, with particular emphasis on the millions of people who provide care on a daily basis but don't know where to begin when it comes to accessing the services and benefits available to them.
The research also revealed that more than 60% of those people asked believed their caring role affected their health (16% a lot 46% a little). As a result the need to support people looking after loved ones in a flexible manner has never been greater.
This support is provided by Caring with Confidence through local sessions with groups of carers or from home using workbooks or the internet.
Stephen Jacobs, OBE, Caring with Confidence Project Board Chair, said: "The contribution made by carers is huge, but it is a role that is often taken on at short notice and without preparation, leaving carers to struggle with the vital responsibilities that they have assumed - this is where Caring with Confidence can help.
"The new programme will be free to carers, giving them a safe and supportive environment to explore the services available to them, look at the essentials of looking after someone and how to communicate effectively with other people to help support their needs - which will improve their own health and wellbeing and that of the person they care for."
Caring with Confidence is part of the Government's New Deal for Carers and the National Carers Strategy. It is aimed at helping carers build on their knowledge and strengths, sharing useful information and identifying the positive changes they can make in their own situations.
Today's launch marks the start of the programme across England for all carers over the age of 18.
Caring with Confidence is being supported by Mike Tomlinson, husband of the hugely inspirational athlete and fundraiser Jane Tomlinson CBE, who passed away in September 2007 after a long battle with cancer.
He said: "I have personal experience of caring for a loved one and it can often be an isolated and difficult experience as you struggle to balance the needs of the person you care for with your own and those of the wider family.
"Support was available but not in such a way that it could be accessed easily. The flexibility Caring with Confidence offers means that people across England will be able to access these vital support services and meet with other people in similar situations to exchange information and share knowledge."
The programme has been developed over the past 12 months with ongoing support from carers, which has highlighted the need for a recognised programme of this type.
Research conducted during the development also revealed one in five people caring 50 plus hours a week are also juggling a full-time job, and 23% of those people asked had been caring for at least 10 years.
It also showed that any support or provision should explain how to deal with the benefits and healthcare system (46% and 41% said these topics would be very or extremely useful) as well as providing practical information and advice about the condition they are dealing with (38% very or extremely useful).
The Caring with Confidence programme will run via a network of 32 providers3 throughout England. Carers will be encouraged to build on their own knowledge and skills based on a personal programme of development through both face to face sessions and distance learning.
By working with carers and experts within the carers' arena, Caring with Confidence has been designed to enhance and supplement existing provision rather than replace it. The provider organisations through which local sessions are being delivered have been carefully selected through their capacity to meet the needs of carers and recruit them to their sessions.
Source
Caring with Confidence
суббота, 14 мая 2011 г.
Memory Loss, Safety And Confusion Top Alzheimer's Caregivers' Concerns, National Survey Reveals
Caregivers and loved ones of individuals with Alzheimer's disease are most concerned about the patients personal safety, loss of memory and confusion - memory loss and confusion are examples of cognitive symptoms, which worried over two-thirds of caregivers the most, according to a national survey of non-professional caregivers involving 524 participants. The Harris Interactive Survey was carried out last month on behalf of AFA (Alzheimer's Foundation of America), Eisai Inc., and Pfizer (the last two being pharmaceutical companies).
Eric J. Hall, president and CEO of AFA, said:
These survey results reveal the changes in cognition as the disease progresses were an important concern among caregivers. We encourage caregivers and health care professionals to discuss these changes and any others during regular visits.
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurologic brain disease which eventually leads to permanent loss of neurons and cognitive/intellectual abilities, including reasoning and memory. As the disease progresses the patient's abilities to function socially or occupationally become so undermined that they need to be looked after. Typically, there are three stages to the disease - mild, moderate and severe. Caregivers and doctors often need to consult regarding the patient's lifestyle and treatment options.
The survey revealed that approximately three-quarters of caregivers are either "satisfied" or "very satisfied" with the therapy provided by health care professionals for their loved one. The rest of respondents who rated this as either "not at all satisfied" or "somewhat satisfied" reveal a need for improvement, the survey authors wrote.
Barry W. Rovner, M.D., director of the Division of Geriatric Psychiatry and professor in the departments of Neurology and Psychiatry at Thomas Jefferson University , Philadelphia, said:
AD (Alzheimer's disease) caregivers are typically the first to notice when their loved one's symptoms are becoming worse and whether the disease may be progressing to the next stage, which is why caregivers are essential partners in disease management discussions. In the face of this devastating chronic and progressive disease, it is important for AD caregivers to know about the available educational resources, support networks and treatments in order to enhance these discussions at all stages of the disease.
The survey revealed some of the problems caregivers have to cope with, as well as concerns and worries about how the disease progresses and is expected to progress, and discussions with health care professionals. 173 males and 351 female caregivers contributed towards the survey. There were some differences in priorities reported by male and female caregivers.
Highlighted below are some of the difficulties caregivers have to cope with:
55% say their caregiving duties have had a negative impact on their own health
13% of female caregivers tended to worry all the time, compared to just 3% of the male ones
60% of them said the whole thing was overwhelming
47% of female caregivers found maintaining relationships with friends and family "challenging", compared to 31% of men
67% of caregivers of mild AD patients found their duties often stopped them from taking part in activities they liked, compared to 68% of those with a moderate AD patient and 84% of those caring for a loved one with severe AD.
Highlighted below are some of the worries caregivers have about the progression of Alzheimer's disease:
Caregivers worried the most about: 41% memory loss, 33% personal safety, 27% confusion.
67% mentioned at least one cognitive ability loss as their main worry when thinking about AD's progression
50% of male caregivers were concerned and worried about memory loss, compare to 37% of the female ones
Highlighted below are some of the survey results regarding caregivers' dealings and discussions with health care professionals:
84% of male caregivers were satisfied with their health care professional communications versus 70% of the females ones
26% of males asked the doctor about support information, compared to 14% of females
53% of all caregivers who were not very involved in liaising with a health care professional were not satisfied with their loved one's treatment
31% of all caregivers who were very involved in liaising with a health care professional were not satisfied with their loved one's treatment
Eric J. Hall, president and CEO of AFA, said:
These survey results reveal the changes in cognition as the disease progresses were an important concern among caregivers. We encourage caregivers and health care professionals to discuss these changes and any others during regular visits.
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurologic brain disease which eventually leads to permanent loss of neurons and cognitive/intellectual abilities, including reasoning and memory. As the disease progresses the patient's abilities to function socially or occupationally become so undermined that they need to be looked after. Typically, there are three stages to the disease - mild, moderate and severe. Caregivers and doctors often need to consult regarding the patient's lifestyle and treatment options.
The survey revealed that approximately three-quarters of caregivers are either "satisfied" or "very satisfied" with the therapy provided by health care professionals for their loved one. The rest of respondents who rated this as either "not at all satisfied" or "somewhat satisfied" reveal a need for improvement, the survey authors wrote.
Barry W. Rovner, M.D., director of the Division of Geriatric Psychiatry and professor in the departments of Neurology and Psychiatry at Thomas Jefferson University , Philadelphia, said:
AD (Alzheimer's disease) caregivers are typically the first to notice when their loved one's symptoms are becoming worse and whether the disease may be progressing to the next stage, which is why caregivers are essential partners in disease management discussions. In the face of this devastating chronic and progressive disease, it is important for AD caregivers to know about the available educational resources, support networks and treatments in order to enhance these discussions at all stages of the disease.
The survey revealed some of the problems caregivers have to cope with, as well as concerns and worries about how the disease progresses and is expected to progress, and discussions with health care professionals. 173 males and 351 female caregivers contributed towards the survey. There were some differences in priorities reported by male and female caregivers.
Highlighted below are some of the difficulties caregivers have to cope with:
55% say their caregiving duties have had a negative impact on their own health
13% of female caregivers tended to worry all the time, compared to just 3% of the male ones
60% of them said the whole thing was overwhelming
47% of female caregivers found maintaining relationships with friends and family "challenging", compared to 31% of men
67% of caregivers of mild AD patients found their duties often stopped them from taking part in activities they liked, compared to 68% of those with a moderate AD patient and 84% of those caring for a loved one with severe AD.
Highlighted below are some of the worries caregivers have about the progression of Alzheimer's disease:
Caregivers worried the most about: 41% memory loss, 33% personal safety, 27% confusion.
67% mentioned at least one cognitive ability loss as their main worry when thinking about AD's progression
50% of male caregivers were concerned and worried about memory loss, compare to 37% of the female ones
Highlighted below are some of the survey results regarding caregivers' dealings and discussions with health care professionals:
84% of male caregivers were satisfied with their health care professional communications versus 70% of the females ones
26% of males asked the doctor about support information, compared to 14% of females
53% of all caregivers who were not very involved in liaising with a health care professional were not satisfied with their loved one's treatment
31% of all caregivers who were very involved in liaising with a health care professional were not satisfied with their loved one's treatment
Geriatric Mental Health Nursing Receives $1.2M Grant
The Hartford Center for Geriatric Nursing Excellence in the University of Iowa College of Nursing, and two other Hartford centers in the nation, have been funded for a four-year $1.2 million grant to ensure that nurses have the most recent evidence-based guidelines for caring for elders with mental health issues.
The three Hartford Centers of Geriatric Nursing Excellence, which will form the Geropsychiatric Nursing Collaborative, are in the UI College of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences School of Nursing.
Researchers in the collaborative will focus on two areas that will affect the preparation of nurses for gerontologic mental health practice nationally, according to Kathleen Buckwalter, the Sally Mathis Hartwig Professor of Gerontological Nursing Excellence and director of the Hartford Center at the UI College of Nursing.
"In this four-year project, we will scan the existing geropsychiatric nursing curricula nationwide," Buckwalter said. "We will then work to include core geropsychiatric nursing competencies in nursing education programs and offer new geropsychiatric nursing curricula to nursing schools across the U.S. at no cost.
"Our aim is to ensure that nurses are exposed to the latest practices found to be effective through the most recent research concerning mental health care for older persons," Buckwalter added.
The grant is made possible by the John A. Hartford Foundation. The American Academy of Nursing will act as project manager, overseeing the use of the funds at each of the three Hartford centers.
"This collaborative has the potential for greatly improving the mental health care of America's older population," Buckwalter said.
Each of the centers has ongoing initiatives in geriatric mental health education and practice that can fuel the work of the proposed collaborative center.
The three Hartford Centers of Geriatric Nursing Excellence, which will form the Geropsychiatric Nursing Collaborative, are in the UI College of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences School of Nursing.
Researchers in the collaborative will focus on two areas that will affect the preparation of nurses for gerontologic mental health practice nationally, according to Kathleen Buckwalter, the Sally Mathis Hartwig Professor of Gerontological Nursing Excellence and director of the Hartford Center at the UI College of Nursing.
"In this four-year project, we will scan the existing geropsychiatric nursing curricula nationwide," Buckwalter said. "We will then work to include core geropsychiatric nursing competencies in nursing education programs and offer new geropsychiatric nursing curricula to nursing schools across the U.S. at no cost.
"Our aim is to ensure that nurses are exposed to the latest practices found to be effective through the most recent research concerning mental health care for older persons," Buckwalter added.
The grant is made possible by the John A. Hartford Foundation. The American Academy of Nursing will act as project manager, overseeing the use of the funds at each of the three Hartford centers.
"This collaborative has the potential for greatly improving the mental health care of America's older population," Buckwalter said.
Each of the centers has ongoing initiatives in geriatric mental health education and practice that can fuel the work of the proposed collaborative center.
NCHICA Emphasizes Nurses' Role In Moving Health IT Initiatives Forward, USA
The North Carolina Healthcare Information and Communications Alliance, Inc. (NCHICA), a nonprofit consortium that aims to improve health and care in North Carolina through health information technology (HIT) initiatives, hosted "Improving Interoperability on Medical-Surgical Units," a workshop focused on how nurses can move HIT forward in patient settings efficiently and effectively.
As the largest single profession in the U.S. healthcare industry and the frontline of patient care, nursing is a critical component of successful HIT adoption. There are more than 2.4 million registered nurses practicing across the nation.
"Nurses are a key component of the brain trust in healthcare," said Holt Anderson, Executive Director of NCHICA. "NCHICA understands the necessity of having these individuals at the table when discussing HIT issues and strategy. Their collaboration is the key to understanding where technology solutions are needed-or in need of improvement-at the point of care. Our newly formed nursing workgroup provides an ongoing forum in which these objectives can be accomplished and educates nurses on how to integrate HIT in a manner that is the most beneficial to their patients and the least disruptive to workflow."
Marilyn Chow, DNSc, RN, FAAN, Vice President, Patient Care Services, Program Office, at Kaiser Permanente, provided an overview and preliminary findings of the American Academy of Nursing (AAN) Technology Targets Study, which is funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The study aims to create an effective process for identifying technology solutions to medical-surgical unit workflow inefficiencies, and it will prompt organizations to develop technology that enhances workflow processes.
"Improving the practice environment is essential to retaining nurses, providing safe patient care and increasing the time nurses spend directly with patients," said Chow. "The Technology Targets Study is evaluating a 'Technology Drill Down' process at 25 acute care sites to determine the functional requirements needed to achieve these goals as well as the efficacy and reproducibility of the process itself."
Additionally, Joyce Sensmeier, MS, RN, BC, CPHIMS, FHIMSS, Vice President of Informatics for the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), shared information about interoperability, standards and Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE), an initiative that improves patient care by providing a common framework for implementing standards that harmonize healthcare information exchange.
"Working together, nurses can significantly impact the patient care agenda by getting involved in IHE and other standards efforts," said Sensmeier. "The presence of nurses in these processes has already produced results-the Clinical Care Classification System nursing terminology is a named standard within the Healthcare Information Technology Standards Panel Interoperability Specification for Electronic Health Records, Biosurveillance and Consumer Empowerment, which was recently accepted by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt. Continued, active involvement by nurses in standards processes such as Use Case development and public comment opportunities will ensure their voices are heard."
Collaboration during the workshop yielded the formalization of a workgroup to identify the collective actions nurses can take with respect to the use of HIT to improve the quality of health, care and the nursing experience in North Carolina. The first action taken by the workgroup was appointing Rebecca Kitzmiller, MHR, MSN, RN-C, Chair of the North Carolina Nurses Association (NCNA) Council on Nursing Informatics (CoNI), to the North Carolina Health Information Exchange Governance Council, which will develop policies and procedures that enable the timely and secure exchange of electronic health information among its authorized members.
"As a truly diverse profession, nurses meet the needs of patients across many different healthcare settings," said Kitzmiller. "Forming a nurse advisory group and collaborating with the Governance Council presents a tremendous opportunity to bring the diversity of nursing to strategic healthcare technology decision making, eventually improving the quality of care provided to the people of North Carolina."
NCHICA joined AAN, the Electronic Health Record Vendors Association, HIMSS, the North Carolina Center for Nursing and NCNA CoNI in sponsoring the workshop, which was held on July 30.
About NCHICA
The North Carolina Healthcare Information and Communications Alliance, Inc. (NCHICA) is a nationally recognized nonprofit consortium that serves as an open, effective and neutral forum for health information technology (HIT) initiatives that improve health and care in North Carolina. Members include leading organizations in healthcare, research and information technology.
Working closely with its members, NCHICA has the unique ability to convene and form partnerships to advance HIT adoption. NCHICA's leadership in conducting demonstration projects, hosting educational sessions and fostering collective efforts within North Carolina helps position the state at the vanguard of national HIT acceleration efforts. NCHICA is located in Research Triangle Park, NC.
NCHICA
As the largest single profession in the U.S. healthcare industry and the frontline of patient care, nursing is a critical component of successful HIT adoption. There are more than 2.4 million registered nurses practicing across the nation.
"Nurses are a key component of the brain trust in healthcare," said Holt Anderson, Executive Director of NCHICA. "NCHICA understands the necessity of having these individuals at the table when discussing HIT issues and strategy. Their collaboration is the key to understanding where technology solutions are needed-or in need of improvement-at the point of care. Our newly formed nursing workgroup provides an ongoing forum in which these objectives can be accomplished and educates nurses on how to integrate HIT in a manner that is the most beneficial to their patients and the least disruptive to workflow."
Marilyn Chow, DNSc, RN, FAAN, Vice President, Patient Care Services, Program Office, at Kaiser Permanente, provided an overview and preliminary findings of the American Academy of Nursing (AAN) Technology Targets Study, which is funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The study aims to create an effective process for identifying technology solutions to medical-surgical unit workflow inefficiencies, and it will prompt organizations to develop technology that enhances workflow processes.
"Improving the practice environment is essential to retaining nurses, providing safe patient care and increasing the time nurses spend directly with patients," said Chow. "The Technology Targets Study is evaluating a 'Technology Drill Down' process at 25 acute care sites to determine the functional requirements needed to achieve these goals as well as the efficacy and reproducibility of the process itself."
Additionally, Joyce Sensmeier, MS, RN, BC, CPHIMS, FHIMSS, Vice President of Informatics for the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), shared information about interoperability, standards and Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE), an initiative that improves patient care by providing a common framework for implementing standards that harmonize healthcare information exchange.
"Working together, nurses can significantly impact the patient care agenda by getting involved in IHE and other standards efforts," said Sensmeier. "The presence of nurses in these processes has already produced results-the Clinical Care Classification System nursing terminology is a named standard within the Healthcare Information Technology Standards Panel Interoperability Specification for Electronic Health Records, Biosurveillance and Consumer Empowerment, which was recently accepted by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt. Continued, active involvement by nurses in standards processes such as Use Case development and public comment opportunities will ensure their voices are heard."
Collaboration during the workshop yielded the formalization of a workgroup to identify the collective actions nurses can take with respect to the use of HIT to improve the quality of health, care and the nursing experience in North Carolina. The first action taken by the workgroup was appointing Rebecca Kitzmiller, MHR, MSN, RN-C, Chair of the North Carolina Nurses Association (NCNA) Council on Nursing Informatics (CoNI), to the North Carolina Health Information Exchange Governance Council, which will develop policies and procedures that enable the timely and secure exchange of electronic health information among its authorized members.
"As a truly diverse profession, nurses meet the needs of patients across many different healthcare settings," said Kitzmiller. "Forming a nurse advisory group and collaborating with the Governance Council presents a tremendous opportunity to bring the diversity of nursing to strategic healthcare technology decision making, eventually improving the quality of care provided to the people of North Carolina."
NCHICA joined AAN, the Electronic Health Record Vendors Association, HIMSS, the North Carolina Center for Nursing and NCNA CoNI in sponsoring the workshop, which was held on July 30.
About NCHICA
The North Carolina Healthcare Information and Communications Alliance, Inc. (NCHICA) is a nationally recognized nonprofit consortium that serves as an open, effective and neutral forum for health information technology (HIT) initiatives that improve health and care in North Carolina. Members include leading organizations in healthcare, research and information technology.
Working closely with its members, NCHICA has the unique ability to convene and form partnerships to advance HIT adoption. NCHICA's leadership in conducting demonstration projects, hosting educational sessions and fostering collective efforts within North Carolina helps position the state at the vanguard of national HIT acceleration efforts. NCHICA is located in Research Triangle Park, NC.
NCHICA
Ground surface impacts wheelchair propulsion
Data from a manual wheelchair propulsion study indicate that different ground surfaces impact wheelchair propulsion ability, revealing conditions contributing to arm overuse in people who use wheelchairs.
Eleven manual wheelchair users were fitted with a SMARTWheel and pushed on a course consisting of high- and low- pile carpet, indoor tile, interlocking concrete pavers, smooth level concrete, grass, hardwood flooring, and a sidewalk with a five-degree grade.
Propulsive forces on grass, interlocking pavers, and ramp ascent were typically higher compared with tile, wood, smooth level concrete, and low- and high-pile carpeting.
Users adapted to more challenging surfaces by applying more force and increasing the number of times they struck the pushrim.
Journal of Rehabilitation Research & Development - pg 447
About the Journal
JRRD has been a leading research journal in the field of rehabilitation medicine and technology for more than 40 years. JRRD, a peer-reviewed, scientifically indexed journal, publishes original research papers, review articles, as well as clinical and technical commentary from U.S. and international researchers on all rehabilitation research disciplines. JRRD's mission is to responsibly evaluate and disseminate scientific research findings impacting the rehabilitative healthcare community. For more information about JRRD, visit vard.
Judith LaVoie
judithvard
VA Research Communications Service
vard
Eleven manual wheelchair users were fitted with a SMARTWheel and pushed on a course consisting of high- and low- pile carpet, indoor tile, interlocking concrete pavers, smooth level concrete, grass, hardwood flooring, and a sidewalk with a five-degree grade.
Propulsive forces on grass, interlocking pavers, and ramp ascent were typically higher compared with tile, wood, smooth level concrete, and low- and high-pile carpeting.
Users adapted to more challenging surfaces by applying more force and increasing the number of times they struck the pushrim.
Journal of Rehabilitation Research & Development - pg 447
About the Journal
JRRD has been a leading research journal in the field of rehabilitation medicine and technology for more than 40 years. JRRD, a peer-reviewed, scientifically indexed journal, publishes original research papers, review articles, as well as clinical and technical commentary from U.S. and international researchers on all rehabilitation research disciplines. JRRD's mission is to responsibly evaluate and disseminate scientific research findings impacting the rehabilitative healthcare community. For more information about JRRD, visit vard.
Judith LaVoie
judithvard
VA Research Communications Service
vard
Pennsylvania Law To End Mandatory Overtime For Some Health Care Workers
Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell (D) on Thursday signed into law a bill that will prohibit health care facilities from requiring mandatory overtime of staff, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. The law, set to take effect in July 2009, seeks to protect health care facilities from forcing nurses, technicians, technologists, certified nursing assistants and phlebotomists, and other caregivers from being disciplined or discriminated against for refusing to work overtime.
Mandatory overtime would be allowed in some cases, such as a natural disaster, but it could be used only as a last resort and employees would have to be given one hour to arrange for family care. Employers also are prohibited from using on-call time in place of mandatory overtime. Violators can be fined from $100 to $1,000 per violation. The state Department of Labor & Industry will enforce the law.
Supporters say the new rule will ensure patient safety. Rendell said, "There was a problem with nurses' being overworked and overtired and potentially error-prone in their jobs" (Couloumbis, Philadelphia Inquirer, 12/19).
Reprinted with kind permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.
© 2008 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
Mandatory overtime would be allowed in some cases, such as a natural disaster, but it could be used only as a last resort and employees would have to be given one hour to arrange for family care. Employers also are prohibited from using on-call time in place of mandatory overtime. Violators can be fined from $100 to $1,000 per violation. The state Department of Labor & Industry will enforce the law.
Supporters say the new rule will ensure patient safety. Rendell said, "There was a problem with nurses' being overworked and overtired and potentially error-prone in their jobs" (Couloumbis, Philadelphia Inquirer, 12/19).
Reprinted with kind permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.
© 2008 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
NAMI Applauds New Report On Caregiving
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) praises a new report, Caregiving in the U.S. 2009, which offers a revealing portrait of the nearly one-in-three American adults who serve as a family caregiver.
The study is based on interviews with 1,480 caregivers chosen at random and offers a national profile of people caring for adults, the elderly and children with special needs. It follows similar studies conducted in 2004 and 1997, but for the first time, caregivers for children, as well as those caring for adults over the age of 18, were surveyed.
The report echoes the findings of NAMI's own depression survey and schizophrenia survey, which include the perspective of caregivers for people living with these serious mental illnesses. All these reports suggest that caregivers face daily stresses that can impact their own health and other relationships. For example, NAMI's depression survey, released in November, found that while almost one-half (48 percent) of caregivers for people with depression have been diagnosed with depression themselves, only about 25 percent were engaged in treatment at the time of the survey.
"We know from our own studies that caregivers make significant sacrifices to care for their loved ones living with mental illness," said Michael Fitzpatrick, NAMI executive director. "The findings of this new report will help us anticipate the needs of caregivers so that we can improve NAMI's education and support programs."
NAMI offers a variety of peer education and support programs, including those specifically for caregivers.
Family-to-Family is a free, twelve-week course for family caregivers of individuals with severe mental illnesses. The course is taught by trained family members and more than 115,000 family members have graduated from this national program. The course is also available in Spanish.
NAMI Basics is an education program for parents and other caregivers of children and adolescents living with mental illnesses. The course is taught by trained teachers who are the parent or other caregivers of individuals who developed the symptoms of mental illness prior to the age of 13 years.
Source
National Alliance on Mental Illness
The study is based on interviews with 1,480 caregivers chosen at random and offers a national profile of people caring for adults, the elderly and children with special needs. It follows similar studies conducted in 2004 and 1997, but for the first time, caregivers for children, as well as those caring for adults over the age of 18, were surveyed.
The report echoes the findings of NAMI's own depression survey and schizophrenia survey, which include the perspective of caregivers for people living with these serious mental illnesses. All these reports suggest that caregivers face daily stresses that can impact their own health and other relationships. For example, NAMI's depression survey, released in November, found that while almost one-half (48 percent) of caregivers for people with depression have been diagnosed with depression themselves, only about 25 percent were engaged in treatment at the time of the survey.
"We know from our own studies that caregivers make significant sacrifices to care for their loved ones living with mental illness," said Michael Fitzpatrick, NAMI executive director. "The findings of this new report will help us anticipate the needs of caregivers so that we can improve NAMI's education and support programs."
NAMI offers a variety of peer education and support programs, including those specifically for caregivers.
Family-to-Family is a free, twelve-week course for family caregivers of individuals with severe mental illnesses. The course is taught by trained family members and more than 115,000 family members have graduated from this national program. The course is also available in Spanish.
NAMI Basics is an education program for parents and other caregivers of children and adolescents living with mental illnesses. The course is taught by trained teachers who are the parent or other caregivers of individuals who developed the symptoms of mental illness prior to the age of 13 years.
Source
National Alliance on Mental Illness
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