Concerns and anticipated challenges of family caregivers following participation in the neuropsychological feedback of stroke patients.
Forty-five family caregivers participated in the feedback session on the neuropsychological test results of their close ones, victims of stroke. Following the feedback, the caregivers were presented with an open-ended list of concerns regarding the patients' level of functioning and care needs, and were asked to identify the concerns which they had and the challenge that they represented to them. A hierarchy of concerns was established based upon their frequency and the challenge that they represented. Results indicated that "making sure that the patient is safe at all times", "knowing what his/her future needs will be", "knowing what to do in specific situations in which the patient is unable to perform the task independently" and "dealing with the emotional aspects of the patient" are the caregivers' most prominent concerns. The hierarchy of concerns is discussed from the perspective of its relevance to clinical work and the need for clinicians to incorporate it in plans for rehabilitation.
Belciug
Marian P
MP
Chedoke Hospital, Hamilton Health Sciences, Holbrook Building Suite D 177, 1200 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8N 3Z5, Canada. belciug@hhsc.ca
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006701:Home Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D020521:Stroke / Q000523:psychology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires