BSc Cur

1

The Post-Caring Experience of Former Family
Carers Evidence from Ireland Breen, Cronin,
Hynes, McCallion McCarron

2
Gaps in understanding

• Dearth of research focusing on post-caring,
  especially post-death
• First Irish study on post-caring
• Irish post-caring policy services context
• -6 weeks Carers Allowance/Benefit (i.e.212/213
  per wk)
• -No specific health or social care policies in
  place
• Research Q How do family carers perceive their
  own needs in the post-caring period?

School of Nursing and Midwifery 24 D'Olier Street
Dublin 2
3
Methodology

• Convenience sampling technique
• Recruitment via Carers Association Information
  Packs
• 26 semi-structured interviews 1 focus group
  (N14)
• NVivo 8 - analysis from audio
• Template analysis (King et al, 2002 Crabtree
  Miller, 1999)

School of Nursing and Midwifery 24 D'Olier Street
Dublin 2
4
Participant Details

• Gender 7 males, 19 females
• Age (range 33 to 81 yrs mode 58 yrs median 56
  yrs)
• Who caring for?
• - Parent (12)
• - Spouse (10)
• - Other relative (4)
• Length of time caring (range 6 months to 27 yrs
  mode 5 yrs median 5 yrs)

School of Nursing and Midwifery 24 D'Olier Street
Dublin 2
5
Primary medical condition of Caree
School of Nursing and Midwifery 24 D'Olier Street
Dublin 2
6
Post-caring transition
School of Nursing and Midwifery 24 D'Olier Street
Dublin 2
7
Time since transition
Range 3 months to 6 yrs
Mode 1 yr 4 months
Median 1 yr 6 months
School of Nursing and Midwifery 24 D'Olier Street
Dublin 2
8
Emptiness Loss

• Emptiness of house
• Cut out of the system
• Loss of special relationship
• Enforced retirement without benefits
• Not prepared for post-caring
• Pre-caring world is gone (friends/work)

School of Nursing and Midwifery 24 D'Olier Street
Dublin 2
9
Emotional Reactions

• Anger
• - Because of need to fight for services
• Guilt
• -Sudden death at home
• -Worrying about financial issues
• Anxiety still feeling on duty/ inability to
  sleep
• Sadness/loneliness (esp at night)

School of Nursing and Midwifery 24 D'Olier Street
Dublin 2
10
Family conflict

• Especially between siblings
• Property/legal issues
• Lack of understanding of post-caring needs
• Redressing neglect of family members during
  caring

School of Nursing and Midwifery 24 D'Olier Street
Dublin 2
11
Post-caring support

• Role of Carers support groups
• Supportive families/friends/neighbours
• Health services
• removal of equipment
• community nurses/G.P. visits own initiative
• no statutory health or social care services

School of Nursing and Midwifery 24 D'Olier Street
Dublin 2
12
Taking care of self

• Keeping busy
• Get out of house
• Proactive have to do it themselves
• Giving back stop focusing on self
• Comfort from belief in after-life

School of Nursing and Midwifery 24 D'Olier Street
Dublin 2
13
World-less
Pre-caring world
Supports needed to facilitate move to new world
Caring world
New world
Former Carers caught between worlds
School of Nursing and Midwifery 24 D'Olier Street
Dublin 2
14
Post-Carers Needs

• Preparation for post-caring
• Counselling
• Career advice dedicated return-to-work services
• Home visits
• Training sessions on conflict resolution
• Financial support for longer than 6 weeks
• Dedicated post-caring support groups telephone
  helplines

School of Nursing and Midwifery 24 D'Olier Street
Dublin 2
15
Link to theory

• Fits with Carer Career Stage Models
• (Nolan et al, 2003 Brown Stetz, 1999
  Aneshensel et al, 1995 Lindgren, 1993)
• Post-Nursing Home Placement stages (Davies
  Nolan, 2003 2004 2006)
• Post-death stages (Larkin, 2009)

School of Nursing and Midwifery 24 D'Olier Street
Dublin 2
16
Acknowledgements

• Funders Irish Research Council for Humanities
  Social Sciences (IRCHSS) and Care Alliance
  Ireland
• Recruitment The Carers Association 16 centre
  managers nationwide
• 40 Former Family Carers

School of Nursing and Midwifery 24 D'Olier Street
Dublin 2