Family caregivers
The population of Canada is aging, and the segment of individuals aged over 65 years likely to escalate from 15.3% in 2013 to about 30% in 2063. Those aged over 80 also to increase from 1.4 million to 4.9 million between 2013 and 2045, which happens to be 10% of the Canadian population. Moreover, elderly Canadians are vulnerable and living with chronic disorders such as dementia, besides those over 80 years suffering from about more than four chronic illnesses. Charles et al. (2017) in his study, “Understanding How to Support Family Caregivers of Seniors with Complex Needs,” aims at describing the challenges and experiences of giving support to family caregivers of Canadian seniors with sophisticated needs and outlines research gaps and support strategies that focus on supporting the caregivers. A significant number of seniors prefer to live at home in most of their time with caregivers at their disposal. However, to watch over the seniors can influence the caregivers’ lives and might lead to burnout. Therefore, the study aims at generating support strategies that can address the needs of the caregivers and ease the burden of their occupation.
The study is a qualitative research based on the utilization of an integrated knowledge translation model that keeps the evidence-funnel with knowledge-to-action cycle. Data collection is done in a two-day conference that is branded “Supporting Family Caregivers of Seniors: Improving Care and Caregiver Outcomes.” The conference involved presentations and engagements of the participants but was guided by an integrated knowledge translation. Data (qualitative) is collected based on recommendations, gaps/barriers, and facilitators to provide support to caregivers. All those procedures were for the day one of the conference, while day two included research priorities determination. Further, the article employed facilitators who identified the provision of support to caregivers. Identified support included community-based and healthcare resources accessibility, well-intended healthcare provider availability, and caregiver system recognition.
Having a thorough grasp of the article, the authors’ central argument involves the comprehension of support needed by caregivers dealing with seniors, who typically demonstrate sophisticated needs. Often the caregiver is overwhelmed with the tasks at hand that may result in burnout. Seemingly, the number of senior subgroup is increasing day in and day out, so is the need for caregivers. Therefore, for effective caregiver services, there is a need to understand the nature of services needed by the seniors and his or her families. In addition, the caregiver needs the necessary skills and knowledge to address the issues arising while handling the seniors at their disposal. Nevertheless, friends and family members are often relied upon to aid in the caregiving process. Yet such categories of caregivers offer unpaid and informal care. The author estimates that approximately four million family caregivers provide services to seniors suffering from long- or short-term health disorders, and almost a million service those with dementia. The complexity of caregiving is noteworthy, and often most of the caregivers are engaged in other professions, while others are even lactating.
Indeed, family caregivers are significantly overworked, with fifty–percent being fatigued and anxious, whereas 20% demonstrate a dire need for financial aid. From the review, it is clear that individuals offering more than twenty-one hours of care in a week, or are involved with seniors with depression, terminal conditions, behavioral transition, or cognitive decline are said to be at high risk. Interestingly, there is increasing evidence suggesting that caregiving is employed at significant emotional, physical, and financial costs to caregivers. These caregivers are often stretched to the limit by caregivers’ stress and competing inclinations. Family caregivers often experience health deterioration, loss of income, distress, loss of profit, and family conflict. A contrast of caregivers servicing seniors with dementia and other caregivers shows that caregivers of dementia individuals are more susceptible to deterioration as their social, financial, and health much suffer. Approximately 75% of this category develop psychological conditions, while the other percentage experiences depression. The strenuous conditions of the caregivers will supposedly intensify owing to the concurrent increase in the seniors’ population.
The article stems from its evidence from several pieces of literature. The meta-analysis provides a wide variety of speculations from peer-reviewed academic sources. The methodology of this research article is qualitative and is guided by an integrated knowledge translation model. To reiterate, the article’s data collection is done in a two-day conference that is branded “Supporting Family Caregivers of Seniors: Improving Care and Caregiver Outcomes.” The conference involved presentations and engagements of the participants but was guided by an integrated knowledge translation. Data (qualitative) is collected based on recommendations, gaps/barriers, and facilitators to provide support to caregivers. All those procedures were for the day one of the conference, while day two included research priorities determination. Further, the article employed facilitators who identified the provision of support to caregivers. Identified support included community-based and healthcare resources accessibility, well-intended healthcare provider availability, and caregiver system recognition.
Additionally, observations reveal an increment in the recognition that caregivers and families having assumed caregiving responsibilities that necessitates the provision of substantial evidence-based support for caregivers. The system facilitates the role of caregivers; as a theme, this demonstrates the recognition of the role of caregivers at societal and governmental entities. Greater awareness of the role of family caregivers is created through dire recognition and acknowledgment by the government and society. Therefore, there is a need for a future objective that will focus on international, national, provincial, and regional strategies that can better the outcomes of seniors and family caregivers. Researchers also suggest that the population of the seniors is at a paradigm of different systems such as family caregiving, acute and long-term care system. With chronic and acute sophisticated health conditions affecting several body systems, a specialty model to fragmented and health care system fail to include the interdependency of psychosocial, functional, and physical health. Fragmentation of systems can be found in theme three of the article, which points out the limitations associated with the navigation of the system that is a result of constant change and fragmentation. From the fact that extended care is required for the elderly with complex needs, there is a need for warranty, as current health system capacity is limited to giving such services. The article suggests preserved continuity of care and a holistic approach to help the seniors embrace the quality of life and experience fewer interruptions while at home.
Charles et al. (2017) employ an integrated knowledge translation model, which builds on individuals’ concerns and points of view. The model, however, open-ended is structured to meet the expectations of the authors. For instance, one of the aspects of view of the researchers was on the improvement of resilience and capacity of family caregivers through a number of approaches. Such strategies included emerging findings from the article’s recommendations, including the preparation of the next generation of family caregivers and supporting caregivers to self-identity. Charles et al. (2017) supposes that there is a need for the engagement of caregivers in the implementation, planning, and designing of the necessary interventions, which may limit missed opportunities. The authors go on to elucidate the need for emphasis while seeking patient-caregiver input and designing of new management programs. Charles et al. (2017) points out the possibility of essential ways that can cement case-management-caregiver inclusion. In doing so, Charles et al. (2017) connote that there will be a facilitation of caregivers’ maintenance of supportive presence and improvement of their outcomes. The authors go on to point out that mentors, coaches, training, and education accessibility are also of great importance.
Strengths and weaknesses are inevitable in any research. The article has demonstrated strengths from the fact that its methodology and findings can be replicated and applied universally. On the other hand, the concept of integrated knowledge translation applied in the methodology limited the evidence through the knowledge-to-action cycle. Moreover, facilitators’ presentations might have influenced the responses of the participants in the discussion. Furthermore, the single unit of the analysis of data employed paved way for co-synthesis of knowledge and fails to distinguish subgroups by locality and role representation. Therefore, the findings are limited in clarity involving the participants’ subset.
In conclusion, the findings from the article are resourceful and can shape the occupation world of family caregivers. I concur with the authors of the article and suppose that there is a greater need to understand the support structure required by family caregivers of seniors with sophisticated needs.