References
Informal carers' experiences and feelings during rehabilitation
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences and feelings of people caring for patients with long-term diseases in a rehabilitation centre. A qualitative research approach was used. Fifteen informal carers were interviewed. The study was conducted in a rehabilitation centre in Greece. Three themes emerged. The first was feelings regarding the patient and the carers themselves, as well as the type of care provided and life at home after discharge from the rehabilitation unit. The second was experiences regarding health professionals and delivered care, and other carers. The third theme was expectations and thoughts about the future. Health professionals should plan and implement support interventions within rehabilitation settings in order to address carers' needs in terms of practical guidance not only within the framework of patient care but also relating to the psychological and physical wellbeing of informal carers.
Population projections for the year 2080 report that people over 65 years old will account for 28.7% of the EU-28's population compared with 18.9% in 2015 (Genet et al, 2012). Based on these projections, it is anticipated that people with problems commonly associated with ageing such as stroke, hip fractures, or spine problems, will have increased needs for hospitalisation and rehabilitation health care.
In recent years, the Greek National Health System (GNHS) has suffered major setbacks due to austerity and financial adjustment policies resulting in lower recruitment of new health professionals compared with the number of those retiring (Bonovas and Nikolopoulos, 2012). During such times, the GNHS cannot cope with the increasing need for services. Family members are asked to help out during the patient's hospital stay, make sure that their needs are met such as feeding and going to the toilet, assist with mobilisation when it is needed (for example, after surgery), or participate in basic care interventions such as bed-making, bed-bathing, monitoring intravenous infusions, and repositioning bedridden patients. It has to be stressed that the nursing staff shortage is a long-running problem in Greece and the practice of using hospitalised patients' relatives as an unpaid workforce is rooted in the Greek cultural tradition around family and is also unofficially supported by the state as way to save money (Sapountzi-Krepia et al, 2001; 2006; 2008a; Lavdaniti et al, 2011; Stavrou et al, 2014). This type of assistance is called ‘informal caring’ and the people providing regular and ongoing assistance, without receiving any payment for the care given, are called informal carers (Laitinen-Junkkari et al, 2001; van den Berg et al, 2005; Al-Janabi et al, 2013).
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