The European policy emphasis on providing informal care at home causes caregivers and home care professionals having more contact with each other, which makes it important for them to find satisfying ways to share care. Findings from the literature show that sharing care between caregivers and professionals can be improved. This study therefore examines to what degree and why caregivers’ judgements on sharing care with home care professionals vary. To improve our understanding of social inequities in caregiving experiences, the study adopts an intersectional perspective. We investigate how personal and situational characteristics attached to care judgements are interwoven. Using data of the Netherlands Institute for Social Research, we conducted bivariate and multivariate linear regression analysis (N = 292). We combined four survey questions into a 1–4 scale on ‘caregiver judgement’ (α = 0.69) and used caregivers’ personal (such as gender and health status) and situational characteristics (such as the care recipient's impairment and type of care) as determinants to discern whether these are related to the caregivers’ judgement. Using a multiplicative approach, we also examined the relationship between mutually constituting factors of the caregivers’ judgement. Adjusted for all characteristics, caregivers who provide care to a parent or child with a mental impairment and those aged between 45 and 64 years or with a paid job providing care to someone with a mental impairment are likely to judge sharing care more negatively. Also, men providing care with help from other caregivers and caregivers providing care because they like to do so who provide domestic help seem more likely to be less satisfied about sharing care. This knowledge is vital for professionals providing home care, because it clarifies differences in caregivers’ experiences and hence induce knowledge how to pay special attention to those who may experience less satisfaction while sharing care.
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In recent years, Dutch authorities have attempted to shift from formal to informal care responsibilities to meet an increasing demand for care. There is a growing expectation that social and healthcare professionals will actively involve, support, and collaborate with partners, family members, and others who provide informal care. However, the practical implementation of such collaborations is not yet evident. In this qualitative study, 37 individual interviews and eight focus groups were conducted to explore the preferences of informal caregivers in the Netherlands regarding their collaboration with social and healthcare professionals. In recognition of the growing consensus that professionals should tailor their approach to caregivers’ individual circumstances, we adopted an intersectional approach to examine the relationship between caregivers’ social positions and preferences as well as the impact of systemic and power dynamics on these collaborations. The findings indicate that most of caregivers’ worries concerning collaborations are rooted in the organisational context of their interactions with professionals rather than the interactions themselves. Caregivers’ social positions do not necessarily lead to varying opinions regarding collaboration with professionals; however, caregivers do expect professionals to be aware of their social positions, as these positions shape the context within which informal care is provided and determine how easily caregivers can integrate care responsibilities into their lives. To enhance collaboration between caregivers and professionals in the short term, care organisations and social and healthcare educational programmes should encourage a professional mindset that recognises caregivers as equal partners in care. It is essential for professionals to acknowledge the caregiver’s role and devise strategies for arranging care together that build on the existing relationship between the caregiver and care recipient.
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Purpose: As recovery time after oncological surgery can be long, family caregivers often play an important role in the delivery of care after patients’ discharge. To prepare carers for this role, we developed a family involvement program (FIP) to enhance their active involvement in post-surgical oncology care during hospitalization. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore family caregivers experience of participating in a FIP. Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 12 family caregivers who participated in the family involvement program. The program is comprised of two main components (1) training and coaching of physicians and nurses; (2) active involvement of family caregivers in fundamental care activities. This active involvement included six activities. Data were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results: Family caregivers positively valued the program. Active participation in post-surgical care was experienced as an acceptable burden. The program gave participants the ability to simply be present (‘being there’) which was considered as essential and improved their understanding of care, although family caregivers sometimes experienced emotional moments. Active involvement strengthened existent relationship between the family caregiver and the patient. Participants thought clinical supervision. by nurses is important. Conclusions: Physical proximity appeared as an essential part of the family involvement program. It helped carers to feel they made a meaningful contribution to their loved ones’ wellbeing. Asking families to participate in fundamental care activities in post-surgical oncology care was acceptable, and not over-demanding for caregivers.
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