ABSTRACT
Integrating work and family demands can be challenging for families caring for a child with one or more disabilities. The pandemic and its changes to work, schooling and service delivery potentially added to these challenges. This exploratory mixed methods study sought to understand how the pandemic affected adoptive parents' work–life fit and service use. A total of 200 participants responded to survey questions about parenting an adopted child with a disability prior to, and after, the onset of Covid‐19. More than half of the parents (59.2%) reported that it was somewhat to very difficult to integrate both work and family demands. Parents with greater access to workplace flexibility and supportive supervisors had significantly less difficulties combining work and family. Families who reported more problems with accessing mental health services, special education and respite care reported significantly more challenges with work–family fit. Parents reported increased stress due to the pandemic changes, but many also shared positive changes such as more time for family. Online services were experienced as effective for some children and reduced time spent driving to appointments. Recommendations for workplace and social service practice and policy supporting adoptive parents of children with disabilities are discussed.
ABSTRACT
BackgroundDuring the height of the pandemic and for many months after, as many families were readjusting to life with children going back to school, many families of children with life-limiting conditions were still securing themselves in their homes, afraid to send children to school, afraid of bringing disease back from shops or public places while feeling very isolated and thoroughly exhausted. Prior to the pandemic, Outreach provided vital short breaks in the home, allowing families and care givers to take a break to do some shopping, housework, take other children to an activity or birthday party, or spend some time looking after their own wellbeing by visiting the hairdressers or going to the gym.AimsTo determine the suitability of Outreach nurses reassessing children and adding a layer of confidence that families could allow children to return to in-house care at Acorns, or choose to continue with Outreach visits if they preferred that model of care. In line with our strategic plan for 2022-23, we will increase our reach to unique children by offering Outreach as a core service.MethodsReinstating outreach, a team of qualified nurses, in July 2021, re-engaging with families who had little or no contact with Acorns through the pandemic through reassurance that we kept children safe through effective use of immunisation, testing and PPE.ResultsCapturing the changes in development and care needs of those who had not engaged with us in 18 months, other than by having regular virtual contact from the family team, we were able to reassure families that re-attending the hospice would be safe for children and give families the much needed break from the intensity of caring. Some families chose not to come in-house, but appreciated the outreach model.Model to be rolled out to families newly referred to Acorns to build relationships with Clinical Services.
ABSTRACT
The considerable increase in the intensity and duration of care provided to the elderly by family caregivers warrants a detailed review of the support interventions available to these "invisible" individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Family caregivers had limited access to respite care due to the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 protocols. This increased their stress and the burden of caregiving. This commentary article details the experiences of family caregivers of the elderly and establish the type of support interventions available to them during the pandemic, especially in low-and-middle-income countries. Random search of literature was conducted, and themes identified include: "fear of contagion", "limited resources", "knowledge deficit" and "grieving in solitary". In addition, this article recommends strategies to mitigate the burden and stress experienced by them.
ABSTRACT
Background: Caregiver burden has been intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Carer Well-being Index is a global research study commissioned by Embracing Carers, a partnered initiative with nine global caregiving organizations. The study sought to explore and delineate the impact of the pandemic on the health and well-being of caregivers across the globe, including those caring for persons with cancer. Methods: The survey was conducted via online and phone methodologies in September and October 2020, with over 9,000 unpaid carers across 12 countries, including the United States and Canada. Unpaid carers were defined as those who care for someone with a long-term illness (e.g., cancer), physical disability (e.g., spinal cord injury), or cognitive/mental condition (e.g., Alzheimer's). The base sample size for cancer caregivers from the global surveyed population was n=1035. Statistically significant differences between cancer carers and non-cancer carers were evaluated using the Chi-square test with p ≤ 0.05. Results: 63% of all caregivers were women, with a 60/40 female to male split in the cancer carer group. While the average age of started caregiving was 37.2 years, and 39.0 in cancer carers, caregivers caring for someone with cancer were more likely than the average caregiver to be in the 60+ age group. Compared to non-cancer caregivers surveyed, a higher percentage of cancer caregivers became carers in the last year (26 vs 13% of non-cancer caregivers). Providing emotional support, managing doctor appointments, preparing meals, home maintenance and housekeeping, transportation, and giving/managing medications were more likely to be among cancer caregivers' primary responsibilities, compared to non-cancer caregivers. Cancer carers were significantly more likely than non-cancer carers to have reported negative impacts because of COVID on their emotional/mental, physical, and financial health, and paid work responsibilities. Overall, cancer caregivers were significantly more likely to report that COVID has made caregiving harder than non-cancer caregivers (71 vs 63%), and were more likely to report never receiving support from a variety of organizations, such as insurance organizations (71 vs. 66% non-cancer caregivers) and local/state government (73 vs. 66%). Of note, cancer carers were more likely to report a positive impact on the relationship with the person being cared for (61 vs. 56%). Conclusions: These results highlight the burdens that have been intensified for cancer carers. Actions are needed to help with health and well-being such as offering and promoting mental health services, respite care;providing financial support to take leaves from paid work, access to equipment and services such as housecleaning. By working together with health care providers, organizations, and government on these types of initiatives, the burden upon cancer caregivers can be lessened.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: This study aimed to identify reduced home care use among older people and its impact on user numbers and service provider revenues during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. METHODS: We conducted this secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from long-term care providers in Japan and estimated the probability of client cancellations and service contraction for institutional and home care services adjusted for the service type, area, size, infection occurrence, and staff employment impacts. We then estimated the rate of change in user numbers and revenue related to reduced usage. RESULTS: Seventy-two percent of home care providers experienced client cancellations and 42.1% experienced service contraction, both of which were more prevalent in home care than in institutional care (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=11.09 and 1.60). Home-visit (AOR=0.70) and short-term stay (AOR=0.38) services were less likely to experience client cancellations compared with adult day services. Service contraction was less likely in home-visit services (AOR=0.60) but were more likely in short-stay services (AOR=1.49) compared to adult day services. The estimated reductions in user numbers and revenue related to service contraction for adult day services were 9.1% and 7.1%, respectively. Home-visiting services decreased by an estimated 3.4% owing to service contraction. CONCLUSION: The secondary effects of the COVID-19 pandemic include reduced use of home care services, especially adult day services that include social contact. These secondary effects of the COVID-19 pandemic may cause functional deterioration in non-infected clients and financially impact service providers.