Browsing by Subject "Informal caregiving"

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    Mandated caregiver training in the Veterans Health Administration: Caregiver inquiry informs national dissemination.
    (The Gerontologist, 2022-11) Sperber, Nina R; Boucher, Nathan; Hughes, Jaime M; Bruening, Rebecca; Zullig, Leah L; Decosimo, Kasey; Tucker, Matthew; Christensen, Leah A; Allen, Kelli D; Hastings, Susan N; Van Houtven, Courtney H

    Background and objectives

    A minority of family caregivers receive training, with implications for their own and their recipient's outcomes. Federal policy has supported implementation and expansion of caregiver training and support. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has developed a national Caregiver Support Program and collaborated with VA health services researchers to explore caregivers' acceptance of an evidence-based training program in preparation for system-wide dissemination.

    Research design and methods

    This approach entailed a convergent mixed-methods design, which involved separate analyses of quantitative and qualitative data. Survey questions based on the Kirkpatrick model for training evaluation measured caregivers' reaction and learning and interview questions elicited caregivers' reports about the value of the program for them.

    Results

    Most caregivers reported satisfaction with the training when responding to survey questions, although qualitative interviews revealed caveats suggesting need to hone the best timing and specific group of caregivers for maximal benefit.

    Discussion and implications

    Our findings indicate that understanding program-user fit may be particularly critical when implementing training for caregivers as they come to the program at different points along their caregiving journey, needing differing types and intensities of support. While a general program may appeal to policymakers aiming to scale caregiver training within a large, heterogeneous system, there may be shortcomings in terms of end-user acceptance and subsequent downstream outcomes such as reach and ultimately program effectiveness. Good, iterative communication flow between program developers and policymakers facilitates this understanding and, in turn, decisions about scaling.
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    Perceived support from a caregiver's social ties predicts subsequent care-recipient health.
    (Prev Med Rep, 2017-12) Kelley, Dannielle E; Lewis, Megan A; Southwell, Brian G
    Most social support research has examined support from an individual patient perspective and does not model the broader social context of support felt by caregivers. Understanding how social support networks may complement healthcare services is critical, considering the aging population, as social support networks may be a valuable resource to offset some of the demands placed on the healthcare system. We sought to identify how caregivers' perceived organizational and interpersonal support from their social support network influences care-recipient health. We created a dyadic dataset of care-recipient and caregivers from the first two rounds of the National Health and Aging Trends survey (2011, 2012) and the first round of the associated National Study of Caregivers survey (2011). Using structural equation modeling, we explored how caregivers' perceived social support is associated with caregiver confidence to provide care, and is associated with care-recipient health outcomes at two time points. All data were analyzed in 2016. Social engagement with members from caregivers' social support networks was positively associated with caregiver confidence, and social engagement and confidence were positively associated with care-recipient health at time 1. Social engagement positively predicted patient health at time 2 controlling for time 1. Conversely, use of organizational support negatively predicted care-recipient health at time 2. Care-recipients experience better health outcomes when caregivers are able to be more engaged with members of their social support network.