Factors affecting caregivers' ability to make environmental modifications.
This study explored factors that family caregivers described as affecting their ability to use environmental modifications. Intensive interviews and participant observation were used to collect detailed data from 24 primary family caregivers. Several factors that affect the caregivers' ability to implement modification strategies were identified in the analysis. These factors included attributes of the elderly individual, attributes of the modification, quality of the caregiver-elderly relationship, caregivers' skills, personal resources of the caregiver, and the informal and formal supports available. Of these factors, the most important were the salient skills that caregivers need to implement environmental modifications. These findings point to the importance of caregivers receiving skills training in this important dimension of caregiving. Intervention should be based on a collaborative approach that ensures the caregiver and care receiver's needs and preferences are respected.
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Oregon Health Sciences University School of Nursing, Portland 97201-3098, USA.
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D017028:Caregivers / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D004779:Environment Design / Q000592:standards*; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D005851:Geriatric Nursing / Q000379:methods; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006701:Home Nursing / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016294:Models, Nursing; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010347:Patient Care Planning / Q000592:standards*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires