'Give me a break' - respite care for older carers of mentally ill persons.
BACKGROUND
The concept of respite care has been widely accepted and used throughout most developed countries, although primarily in connection with frail elderly, people with dementia, people with developmental disability or children. This paper aims at exploring older family carers' needs for, access to and use of respite services when caring for people with a mental illness (excluding dementia) in the community.


METHODS
Data were collected through: semi-structured interviews with 26 mental health professionals, 21 family carers aged over 55 years and 25 respite service providers; demographic questionnaires; field notes; and local area, state and national documents relating to respite care services. Demographic data were analysed using descriptive statistics. All 72 interviews, field notes and other documents were analysed using content analysis.


RESULTS
Current respite services are not adequate to meet the needs of mentally ill patients and older carers. The unique aspects of respite care for older carers of persons with mental illness are poorly understood.


CONCLUSIONS
Bringing these issues to light creates the potential to address the unmet needs of older carers, improve provision of respite services, enhance quality of life of those who can benefit from respite services, and assist mental health professionals to work better with carers.
Jeon
Yun-Hee
YH
Health and Ageing Research Unit, South Eastern Sydney/Illawarra Area Health Service, Sydney, Australia. yun-hee.jeon@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au
Brodaty
Henry
H
O'Neill
Colleen
C
Chesterson
Jon
J
D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009517:New South Wales; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012144:Respite Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data