Centre for Policy on Ageing



Needs of family carers of elderly people with dementia living in the community
Author(s)	Joy Leong, Irena Madjar, Barb Fiveash
Journal title	Australasian Journal on Ageing, vol 20, no 3, September 2001
Pages	pp 133-138
Keywords	Dementia ; Living in the community ; Family care ; Needs [elderly] ; Qualitative Studies ; Methodology ; Australia.
Annotation	Areas of significant unmet need of family members caring for an older relative with dementia in Eastern Australia are identified and described, using two methods of data collection: a self-reporting community survey (n=94), and a series of 10 semi-structured qualitative interviews. Qualitative data were used to explore significant needs reported in the survey. The six most frequently reported barriers/unmet needs are discussed: the need to know that someone will provide care when family carers are unable to do so; a telephone hot-line; time away from caring duties; ways of dealing with stress; time for physical rest; and ways of dealing with feelings of being trapped. The presence of these largely unmet needs acts as a barrier to family caregivers' health and well-being, and limits capacity for ongoing care. It also served to highlight limitations in provision of community health services. (RH).
Accession Number	CPA-020228204 A
Classmark	EA: K4: P6:SJ: IK: 3DP: 3D: 7YA
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...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing.