"It's like we're grasping at anything": caregivers' education needs and preferred learning methods.
In this qualitative descriptive study, we explored caregivers' educational needs and preferred methods of information delivery. Descriptions are based on five focus groups (N = 29) conducted with ethnically diverse, current and past family caregivers, including those who had previously attended a structured educational program. Themes arose from verbatim data transcriptions and coded themes. Four categories of educational needs were identified: (a) respite, (b) caregiving essentials, (c) self-care, and (d) the emotional aspects of caregiving. Advantages and disadvantages of learning methods are discussed, along with reasons for and outcomes of attending caregiver workshops. An informed caregiver model is proposed. Health care providers must assess educational needs and strive to provide appropriate information as dictated by the care recipient's condition and caregiver's expressed desires. Innovative methods of delivering information that are congruent with different caregiving circumstances and learning preferences must be developed and tested.
University of Texas at Tyler, r College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Tyler, Texas 75799, USA. bmastelsmith@uttyler.edu
Beth
B
Mastel-Smith
Melinda
M
Stanley-Hermanns
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers / Q000193:education*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017145:Models, Educational; D020380:Needs Assessment; D011361:Professional Competence; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013637:Tape Recording; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult