title: Voices of Informal Caregivers and Community Stakeholders: Whether and How to Develop an Informal Caregiver Training Program.
abstract: Our primary objective was to gather pilot data from caregivers and stakeholders to guide the development of a training program to assist informal caregivers in re-entering the job market. The goal of the program would be to help caregivers rebound from their incurred economic burden by transitioning into a paid caregiving or other health-service role. The economic burden they bear often necessitates a return to the workforce following caregiving; yet the act of returning is complicated by an extended absence from the workforce and a lack of experience in other verifiably skilled and paid roles. We interviewed 37 stakeholders and 25 caregivers of a chronically or terminally ill family member or friend in a suburban collar county close to Chicago. The interview questions considered the economic impact of illness, as well as the feasibility, logistics, and options of a training program for caregivers. Our data gathered from caregivers and leaders within this community support the acceptability of such a training program for informal caregivers, and also provide practical advice for development and implementation related to training cost, length, content, and instructional practices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northwestern University, 633 N St. Clair, Suite 1800, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
authors.forename: Sara S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northwestern University, 633 N St. Clair, Suite 1800, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
authors.forename: Daiva M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Ragas
authors.affiliation: Institute for Public Health and Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Laura S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Tom
authors.affiliation: Access Dupage, Carol Stream, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hajjar
authors.affiliation: Institute for Healthy Aging, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: XinQi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northwestern University, 633 N St. Clair, Suite 1800, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA. m-simon2@northwestern.edu.|Institute for Public Health and Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA. m-simon2@northwestern.edu.|Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA. m-simon2@northwestern.edu.|Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA. m-simon2@northwestern.edu.
authors.forename: Melissa A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Simon
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000193:education*; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D004505:Education, Nonprofessional / Q000191:economics; D004651:Employment; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D018576:Home Health Aides / Q000193:education; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D000073597:Stakeholder Participation
keywords: Economic resilience; Informal caregiver; Stakeholder; Training and employment; Workforce enhancement