Community Mental Health Journal, 49(6), 2013, pp.675-685.
Publisher:
Springer
This study assessed differences between service users’, family carers’ and mental healthcare providers’ perceptions on service user and family carer involvement in mental healthcare. We conducted questionnaires in care networks for persons with serious and persistent mental illness, among 111 service users, 73 family carers and 216 mental healthcare providers. Many aspects of service user and family carer involvement are achieved to satisfactory levels while other aspects are scarcely realized. Service users and mental healthcare providers perceive family carer involvement as less important and realized than service user involvement. Family carers hold more favorable views on the importance and realization of involvement than do mental healthcare providers. The implementation
(Publisher abstract)
This study assessed differences between service users’, family carers’ and mental healthcare providers’ perceptions on service user and family carer involvement in mental healthcare. We conducted questionnaires in care networks for persons with serious and persistent mental illness, among 111 service users, 73 family carers and 216 mental healthcare providers. Many aspects of service user and family carer involvement are achieved to satisfactory levels while other aspects are scarcely realized. Service users and mental healthcare providers perceive family carer involvement as less important and realized than service user involvement. Family carers hold more favorable views on the importance and realization of involvement than do mental healthcare providers. The implementation of stakeholders’ involvement in healthcare is ongoing. Notwithstanding great efforts, service users’ and family carers’ involvement preferences are not yet fully considered. Developing procedures, training and monitoring cycles regarding involvement may enhance this situation.
(Publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
carers, service users, participation, mental health services;
The Care Services Improvement Partnership (CSIP) has developed draft guidance for consultation on ‘Finding a shared vision of how people’s mental health problems should be understood’. The guidance is aimed at everyone concerned with the development and delivery of services including people that use services and their carers.
The Care Services Improvement Partnership (CSIP) has developed draft guidance for consultation on ‘Finding a shared vision of how people’s mental health problems should be understood’. The guidance is aimed at everyone concerned with the development and delivery of services including people that use services and their carers.
Subject terms:
mental health care, mental health problems, mental health services, carers;
The author lists the Care Services Improvement Partnership's 10 high-impact changes for mental health services that have the greatest positive impact on service users and carer experience, service delivery, outcomes and staff.
The author lists the Care Services Improvement Partnership's 10 high-impact changes for mental health services that have the greatest positive impact on service users and carer experience, service delivery, outcomes and staff.
Subject terms:
mental health services, service users, carers, good practice;
The quality of mental health services for older people in Wales varies greatly depending on where they live, and there are severe shortages of specialist care when they can no longer be supported at home. Carers are generally well supported but their needs should be assessed more consistently and staff in residential homes need better training. Report highlights over 30 examples of good practice,
The quality of mental health services for older people in Wales varies greatly depending on where they live, and there are severe shortages of specialist care when they can no longer be supported at home. Carers are generally well supported but their needs should be assessed more consistently and staff in residential homes need better training. Report highlights over 30 examples of good practice, but says that this needs to be shared more widely. Calls for more partnership working between health and social care and the introduction of defined minimum standards.
Subject terms:
mental health services, older people, quality assurance, carers;
Report describing a project exploring the role and functioning of 15 family support workers who focus on the needs of carers looking after people with severe mental illness.
Report describing a project exploring the role and functioning of 15 family support workers who focus on the needs of carers looking after people with severe mental illness.
Subject terms:
mental health problems, mental health services, carers, families;
Reports on the Canterbury Mental Health Community Care Project, which offers support to people with long term mental health problems aimed at avoiding hospital admission.
Reports on the Canterbury Mental Health Community Care Project, which offers support to people with long term mental health problems aimed at avoiding hospital admission.
BMC Health Services Research, 21(1073), 2021, Online only
Publisher:
BioMed Central Ltd
Background: Substantial and important benefits flow to all stakeholders, including the service user, when mental health services meaningfully engage with carers and family members. Government policies around the world clearly supports inclusiveness however health service engagement with family and carers remains sporadic, possibly because how best to engage is unclear. A synthesis of currently used surveys, relevant research and audit tools indicates seven core ways that families and carers might be engaged by health services. This study sought to confirm, from the perspective of family and carers, the importance of these seven health service engagement practices. Methods: In a mixed method online survey, 134 family members and carers were asked what they received and what they wanted from that carers and family want from health services. Conceptually, the seven practices are represented by two broad overarching practice themes of (i) meeting the needs of the family member and (ii) addressing the needs of the service user. Conclusion: Policy, clinical practice, training and future research might encompass the seven core practices along with consideration of the intertwined relationship of family, carers and the service user suggested by the two broader concepts.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Background: Substantial and important benefits flow to all stakeholders, including the service user, when mental health services meaningfully engage with carers and family members. Government policies around the world clearly supports inclusiveness however health service engagement with family and carers remains sporadic, possibly because how best to engage is unclear. A synthesis of currently used surveys, relevant research and audit tools indicates seven core ways that families and carers might be engaged by health services. This study sought to confirm, from the perspective of family and carers, the importance of these seven health service engagement practices. Methods: In a mixed method online survey, 134 family members and carers were asked what they received and what they wanted from mental health services. Participants also quantified the importance of each of the seven core practices on a 0–100 point likert scale. Results: Almost 250 verbatim responses were deductively matched against the seven themes, with additional unaligned responses inductively categorised. The findings triangulate with multiple diverse literatures to confirm seven fundamental engagement practices that carers and family want from health services. Conceptually, the seven practices are represented by two broad overarching practice themes of (i) meeting the needs of the family member and (ii) addressing the needs of the service user. Conclusion: Policy, clinical practice, training and future research might encompass the seven core practices along with consideration of the intertwined relationship of family, carers and the service user suggested by the two broader concepts.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
mental health services, carers, family members, participation, service provision;
Aging and Mental Health, 25(7), 2021, pp.1165-1180.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Online interventions focused on mitigating the negative impact of care on family caregivers of people with dementia have become increasingly popular recently. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to analyze the effectiveness of these online support programs and to assess whether they do indeed enhance participants’ wellbeing. A systematic literature search of 5 scientific databases was performed: PubMed, PsycInfo, CINAHL, Web of Science and Cochrane Library. Online interventions published between January 2014 and July 2018 targeted at informal family caregivers of people with dementia living at home were systemically reviewed. A total of 10 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or studies with quasi-experimental designs were found. The characteristics of the interventions varied widely, as did their duration and results. In general, the effect size found was medium-small, despite the high methodological quality of the studies. The results reveal that online support interventions are a valid resource for improving caregivers’ psychological wellbeing, including depression, anxiety, burden and caregiving competence. The best results were found for multi-component interventions: psychoeducation, training in psychological strategies and skills, professional support and online forums or support groups with other caregivers. The meta-analysis indicated that family caregivers’ depression levels were reduced in the intervention group (Hedges’ g = −0.21, 95% confidence interval of -0.410 to -0.025; z = −2.216: p = 0.027), although no significant differences were observed between the mean changes found in the intervention and control groups in relation to anxiety, burden or competence. Online interventions targeted at family caregivers can help improve their psychological wellbeing. Nevertheless, more randomized controlled trials are required, with rigorous methodological criteria, in order to provide further evidence of the utility of these interventions which seem to be effective.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Online interventions focused on mitigating the negative impact of care on family caregivers of people with dementia have become increasingly popular recently. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to analyze the effectiveness of these online support programs and to assess whether they do indeed enhance participants’ wellbeing. A systematic literature search of 5 scientific databases was performed: PubMed, PsycInfo, CINAHL, Web of Science and Cochrane Library. Online interventions published between January 2014 and July 2018 targeted at informal family caregivers of people with dementia living at home were systemically reviewed. A total of 10 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or studies with quasi-experimental designs were found. The characteristics of the interventions varied widely, as did their duration and results. In general, the effect size found was medium-small, despite the high methodological quality of the studies. The results reveal that online support interventions are a valid resource for improving caregivers’ psychological wellbeing, including depression, anxiety, burden and caregiving competence. The best results were found for multi-component interventions: psychoeducation, training in psychological strategies and skills, professional support and online forums or support groups with other caregivers. The meta-analysis indicated that family caregivers’ depression levels were reduced in the intervention group (Hedges’ g = −0.21, 95% confidence interval of -0.410 to -0.025; z = −2.216: p = 0.027), although no significant differences were observed between the mean changes found in the intervention and control groups in relation to anxiety, burden or competence. Online interventions targeted at family caregivers can help improve their psychological wellbeing. Nevertheless, more randomized controlled trials are required, with rigorous methodological criteria, in order to provide further evidence of the utility of these interventions which seem to be effective.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
online services, carers, families, dementia, mental health services;
Journal of Mental Health, 30(2), 2021, pp.138-147.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
London
Background: People with existing mental health conditions may be particularly vulnerable to the psychological effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. But their positive and negative appraisals, and coping behaviour could prevent or ameliorate future problems. Objective: To explore the emotional experiences, thought processes and coping behaviours of people with existing mental health problems and carers This study builds on a growing number of qualitative accounts of how mental health service users and carers experienced and coped with extreme social distancing measures early in the COVID-19 pandemic. Rather than a state of helplessness this study contains a clear message of resourcefulness and resilience in the context of fear and uncertainty.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Background: People with existing mental health conditions may be particularly vulnerable to the psychological effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. But their positive and negative appraisals, and coping behaviour could prevent or ameliorate future problems. Objective: To explore the emotional experiences, thought processes and coping behaviours of people with existing mental health problems and carers living through the pandemic. Methods: UK participants who identified as a mental health service user (N18), a carer (N5) or both (N8) participated in 30-minute semi-structured remote interviews (31 March 2020 to 9 April 2020). The interviews investigated the effects of social distancing and self-isolation on mental health and the ways in which people were coping. Data were analysed using a framework analysis. Three service user researchers charted data into a framework matrix (consisting of three broad categories: “emotional responses”, “thoughts” and “behaviours”) and then used an inductive process to capture other contextual themes. Results: Common emotional responses were fear, sadness and anger but despite negative emotions and uncertainty appraisals, participants described efforts to cope and maintain their mental wellbeing. This emphasised an increased reliance on technology, which enabled social contact and occupational or leisure activities. Participants also spoke about the importance of continued and adapted mental health service provision, and the advantages and disadvantages associated with changes in their living environment, life schedule and social interactions. Conclusion: This study builds on a growing number of qualitative accounts of how mental health service users and carers experienced and coped with extreme social distancing measures early in the COVID-19 pandemic. Rather than a state of helplessness this study contains a clear message of resourcefulness and resilience in the context of fear and uncertainty.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
Covid-19, mental health services, service users, carers, coping behaviour;