ESR3: Diversity of experiences in caregiver-care recipient dyads
| Work package | 1 |
| ESR | Giulia Ferraris |
| Supervisor | Prof. Mariët Hagedoorn & Prof. Robbert Sanderman |
| Co-supervisor | Prof. Louise von Essen |
| Host institution | University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands |
| Contact ESR | g.m.a.ferraris@umcg.nl |
| Contact supervisor: | mariet.hagedoorn@umcg.nl |
Objectives: To investigate which characteristics of dyads and interactions within dyads stimulate or decrease the willingness to care in care providers
The caregiving situation inherently includes at least two persons, that is, the caregiver and the care recipient. However, surprisingly little caregiving research has included the perspectives of both members and studied interactions within dyads, especially in relation to willingness to care and possible consequences of willingness for both caregivers and care recipients. Interactions within dyads, and discrepancies between caregiver and care-recipient beliefs and needs, are relevant processes to intervene upon (e.g., through face-to-face counselling, eHealth or assistive technology, or policy change). For example, what happens if caregivers and care-recipients have incompatible needs or wishes concerning (informal) care? What kind of support might help in this situation? Which interactions between caregivers and care recipients promote or deteriorate their relationship and the caregivers’ willingness to care (e.g., recipient showing gratitude for help, the carer demanding the care-recipient to take medication, shared emotional intimacy)? Negative relationship experiences (e.g., trust issues, low levels of intimacy, poor communication) and caregiver burden may put stress on the caregiving relationship and erode the willingness to care. The identification of these processes could improve support to caregivers and care recipients. The aim of this project is to study how this relates to other outcomes for caregivers and care recipients (e.g., emotional wellbeing, daily functioning, social participation, quality of care), taking into account diversity (different dyads, e.g., adult children- parents, spouse dyads; care systems). The ESR will address these issues, by receiving in-depth training on the topic, carrying out a systematic literature review, and collecting qualitative and quantitative data (ENTWINE-iCohort) allowing him/her to analyse this phenomenon in-depth.
The caregiving situation inherently includes at least two persons, that is, the caregiver and the care recipient. However, surprisingly little caregiving research has included the perspectives of both members and studied interactions within dyads, especially in relation to willingness to care and possible consequences of willingness for both caregivers and care recipients. Interactions within dyads, and discrepancies between caregiver and care-recipient beliefs and needs, are relevant processes to intervene upon (e.g., through face-to-face counselling, eHealth or assistive technology, or policy change). For example, what happens if caregivers and care-recipients have incompatible needs or wishes concerning (informal) care? What kind of support might help in this situation? Which interactions between caregivers and care recipients promote or deteriorate their relationship and the caregivers’ willingness to care (e.g., recipient showing gratitude for help, the carer demanding the care-recipient to take medication, shared emotional intimacy)? Negative relationship experiences (e.g., trust issues, low levels of intimacy, poor communication) and caregiver burden may put stress on the caregiving relationship and erode the willingness to care. The identification of these processes could improve support to caregivers and care recipients. The aim of this project is to study how this relates to other outcomes for caregivers and care recipients (e.g., emotional wellbeing, daily functioning, social participation, quality of care), taking into account diversity (different dyads, e.g., adult children- parents, spouse dyads; care systems). The ESR will address these issues, by receiving in-depth training on the topic, carrying out a systematic literature review, and collecting qualitative and quantitative data (ENTWINE-iCohort) allowing him/her to analyse this phenomenon in-depth.
Expected Results: The research will provide detailed information about which characteristics of dyads and interactions within dyads that stimulate or reduce the willingness to care in caregivers, and how this relates to other outcomes for caregivers and care recipients. The ENTWINE-iCohort study will provide a detailed insight into these processes. This will help to improve support to caregivers and care-recipients, for example by means of face-to-face counselling, eHealth or assistive technology, or policy change.
Planned secondments:
| Host | Secondment supervisor | Aim | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uppsala Universitet, Sweden | Prof. Louise von Essen | To learn about psychosocial and eHealth interventions, and how to use the portal U- CARE | 3 months |
| Tired of Cancer, the Netherlands | Door Vonk & Bram Kuiper | To learn about the technical and commercial aspects of translating knowledge into an eHealth programme | 3 months |
Outcomes