ABSTRACT
In this national survey of departments of developmental disabilities services across the United States, we attempted to establish the number of the states that made remote support services available as an authorized service in some state Medicaid funded developmental disabilities waiver programs. Remote support services were defined as a service that uses technology to support an individual with developmental disabilities and is provided from a location outside of the person's home. Remote support services involve the use of technology to provide real-time assistance from a direct support professional from a remote location. We found that 18 of the 49 states (37%) that responded to our telephone survey reported offering some form of remote support services. This survey was conducted pre-COVID-19 and the implications of the availability of remote support services are discussed especially in light of COVID-19. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
Purpose: This study aims to understand the experiences of professional paid carers providing community support to people with intellectual disability "at risk of admission”. This study explores factors that were helpful or lacking in terms of the support the carers received from NHS health services during this time. Design/methodology/approach: This study conducted semi-structured interview with eight participants. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Findings: Three main themes and ten subthemes were identified. The first main theme was "support systems” that were available or lacking for the client and their carers. The second main theme was "training and supervision” available to the carers and their team when the individual they supported needed additional support. The third theme was "change” clients encountered which included changes in the environment as well as changes because of COVID-19 pandemic. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study on experiences of carers during specifically high stress periods, such as when the clients they are supporting are at risk of hospital admission. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic is taking a serious toll on people with dementia. Given the rapidly evolving COVID-19 context, policymakers and practitioners require timely, evidence-informed research to address the changing needs and challenges of people with dementia and their family care partners. OBJECTIVE: Using Twitter data, the objective of this study was to examine the COVID-19 impact on people with dementia from the perspective of their family members and friends. METHODS: Using the Twint application in Python, we collected 6243 relevant tweets over a 15-month time frame. The tweets were divided among 11 coders and analyzed using a 6-step thematic analysis process. RESULTS: Based on our analysis, 3 main themes were identified: (1) frustration and structural inequities (eg, denied dignity and inadequate supports), (2) despair due to loss (eg, isolation, decline, and death), and (3) resiliency, survival, and hope for the future. CONCLUSIONS: As the COVID-19 pandemic persists and new variants emerge, people with dementia and their family care partners are facing complex challenges that require timely interventions. More specifically, tackling COVID-19 challenges requires revisiting pandemic policies and protocols to ensure equitable access to health and support services, recognizing the essential role of family care partners, and providing financial assistance and resources to help support people with dementia in the pandemic. Revaluating COVID-19 policies is critical to mitigating the pandemic's impact on people with dementia and their family care partners.