title: Respite care users who have children with chronic conditions: are they getting a break?
abstract: Caregiving for children with chronic illness and disabilities by family caregivers at home is widely recognized as an optimal choice for the child and family. To promote and maintain the health of the child, primary caregiver, and entire family, respite care has been established as an important caregiving resource. The purpose of this study was to describe primary caregivers' respite service use, perceptions of actual respite, and barriers to respite and respite care. A descriptive design with written survey methods and convenience sampling techniques was used. We found that, despite accessing a variety of respite services, the participants perceived limited actual respite from caregiving. Increased preparation of respite care providers and revision of available services may be means for achieving respite for primary caregivers and their families.
authors.affiliation: Children's Neurosurgery, Stollery Children's Health Centre, 8440-112 Street, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2B7. sneufeld@cha.ab.ca.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Neufeld
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Query
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Drummond
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D017028:Caregivers / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000451:nursing*; D019988:Children with Disabilities; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012144:Respite Care / Q000523:psychology* / Q000592:standards*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires