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Supporting carers during assessment and treatment unit admissions
- Author:
- JAMES Neil
- Journal article citation:
- Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities, 10(2), 2016, pp.116-127.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: This paper reports the findings from the second stage of a study that explored the experiences of family carers whose relative was admitted to a specialist National Health Service assessment and treatment unit (ATU) in Wales, UK (James, 2016). It aimed to obtain the views of professionals in relation to what they consider are the barriers and facilitators to addressing some of the experiences discussed by carers. Design/methodology/approach: Nine professionals working in intellectual disability-specific services participated in four semi-structured interviews and one focus group (n=5) and the data were analysed using a descriptive thematic analysis process. Findings: Three major themes were developed to represent what professionals identified as a number of individual, organisational and practical facilitators and barriers to the provision of support to carers at this time. Professionals recognised the important role they have in developing relationships with carers during the admission. Key to this relationship is effective communication, collaboration, involvement and the need to be consistently open and honest. Research limitations/implications: The small sample size could be said to be a weakness and unrepresentative and practice of other professionals. However, what professionals reported had similarities to the findings from other related research. Importantly, the findings have a practical significance in that they can be used to raise awareness and be used to inform the development of future research and practice. The sample could also be criticised for not having representation from a wider range of professionals from across the multi-disciplinary team. However, a strength of the sample is that it did have representation from three different professional disciplines with different roles and responsibilities. Social implications: The findings from this study illustrate a gap between the rhetoric of policy, legislation and carer strategies, and practice of valuing and respecting the role that carers. Of particular concern is that some of the relationships that carers have had with professionals have threatened rather than positively endorsed and augmented their role and identity. These engagements with professionals therefore have had a profound effect on the way in which they have understood their value as a carer and their own sense of self. Significantly, the actions and behaviours of professionals play a key role in shaping carers views of themselves and their identity.the wider literature exploring the family carer experience. (Edited publisher abstract)
The formal support experiences of family carers of people with an intellectual disability who also display challenging behaviour and/or mental health issues: what do carers say?
- Author:
- JAMES Neil
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, 17(1), 2013, pp.6-23.
- Publisher:
- Sage
- Place of publication:
- London
Legislation, policy and strategies encourage services and professionals to work with carers in ways that complement and enhance their roles in order to maximize their capacity to care for their relative. Family carers therefore are recognized as a valuable resource. This article reports the findings of a review of research that explored the support experiences of family carers of a person with an intellectual disability who displays challenging behaviour and/or has a mental health problem. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the reported experiences of family carers from recent research studies, about their own support. Carers commonly reported that the support they want from services and professionals is the provision of clear, understandable information about their relative’s condition and treatment. Also, they want help to develop skills that enable them to manage in difficult situations, the provision of psychological support for themselves and a break from their caring role. They desire well-coordinated services as well as skilled and knowledgeable professionals. Recommendations made for the development of future research and practice.