Dr Sahdia Parveen
Alzheimer's Society
United Kingdom
Being obliged, willing and prepared to care: A study on how to support current and prospective carers.
Alzheimer's Society
304,830
01/10/15
3.0
Alzheimer's disease & other dementias
As the UK population continues to age, an increasing number of family members will be required to provide care for relatives with dementia. However little is known about how willing and prepared individuals are to provide care, and service providers often assume that family members are willing to provide care, particularly with regard to South Asian communities who are thought to look after their own. The aim of the proposed series of studies is to explore how changes in sense of obligation (familism) and willingness, feeling more or less prepared and/or confident (self-efficacy) influence South Asian (SA) and white British (wB) carer outcomes. The work will also explore the attitudes of prospective carers towards dementia, assessing how willing and prepared the next generation feels to adopt the care role. Current carers of people with dementia will be recruited to participate in a longitudinal study using questionnaires and in-depth interviews. Prospective carers will complete an online questionnaire, and focus groups will further explore willingness and preparedness to care. The research will lead to the production of a booklet and complementary website providing specific recommendations that prepare carers for different steps in the caregiving journey. The information gained from the SA and wB samples will enable these outputs to include cultural examples, ensuring they meet the needs of both SA and wB communities. The strand focusing on prospective carers will provide valuable information on attitudes and levels of knowledge in the younger population, and inform future awareness initiatives and public health campaigns.