Person-centred support for family caregivers in primary home health care – an Intervention

The number of older people in Sweden is increasing, with approximately 20% of the population currently aged 65 years or over. With advancing age, multimorbidity — defined as having two or more chronic conditions — becomes more prevalent, alongside extensive care needs and general frailty.

An increasing number of older people are being cared for in their own homes, supported by primary home health care and family caregivers. Studies indicate particular difficulties for family caregivers of older people with multimorbidity, and that caregivers are frequently insufficiently prepared to manage their situation, which may have adverse consequences for their own health and wellbeing.

This project aims to evaluate a person-centred intervention, the Carer Support Needs Assessment Tool Intervention (CSNAT-I), within a primary home health care context. The goal of the project is to promote preparedness, quality of life and health among older family caregivers (≥65 years) who are caring for a partner (≥65 years) with multimorbidity in their own home.

The CSNAT-I is being tested using a cluster randomised design within a primary home health care context. The intervention comprises two parts: an assessment tool and a five-step person-centred process to proactively identify and address family caregivers' support needs: 1) introduction of the assessment tool, consisting of 16 questions about support needs, 2) time for the caregiver to reflect on their support needs, 3) a structured conversation between the caregiver and a nurse based on the assessment tool, 4) development of an shared action plan, and 5) regular reassessment of support needs and the action plan. Primary healthcare centresare randomised to either the intervention or control group, and a total of 180 family caregiverswill be recruited over one year. Questionnaires and interviews are used for data collection at three time points: baseline, and at 8 and 16 weeks thereafter.

National and international studies within specialist home care have demonstrated positive effects of the CSNAT-I for both family caregivers and healthcare professionals. Given the needs of older family caregivers who are caring for an older partner with multimorbidity at home, this project seeks to examine whether the CSNAT-I produces beneficial effects within primary home health care — an area that has not previously been examined. The project is aligned with national guidelines for” Nära vård” (Close care), in which primary home health care constitutes the cornerstone of the Swedish healthcare system. Furthermore, the project relates to Sweden's first” Nationella anhörigstrategin” (National family caregiver strategy), which aims to strengthen the caregiver perspective within health and social care and to ensure that available support is tailored to individual needs. Should the studies demonstrate improvements in preparedness, quality of life and health, the CSNAT-I may be used to proactively and systematically support older family caregivers within primary home health care.

• Ditt behov av stöd - instruktioner, 268 kB., 398 kB.
• Ditt behov av stöd - vägledning , 127 kB., 191 kB.
• For more information about “CSNAT-I”, please use the link below to access lectures, writtenmaterials, and scientific articles. Ditt behov av stöd - Marie Cederschiöld högskola (mchs.se)
• See the CSNAT tool for review, as well as a document with information on how the intervention is carried out.