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Seeking respite: issues around the use of day respite care for the carers of people with dementia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 March 2011

ANDREW ROBINSON ,
EMMA LEA ,
LYNN HEMMINGS ,
GILLIAN VOSPER ,
DAMHNAT McCANN ,
FELICITY WEEDING  and
ROGER RUMBLE
ANDREW ROBINSON*
Affiliation:
School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia.
EMMA LEA
Affiliation:
School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia.
LYNN HEMMINGS
Affiliation:
School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia.
GILLIAN VOSPER
Affiliation:
School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia.
DAMHNAT McCANN
Affiliation:
School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia.
FELICITY WEEDING
Affiliation:
Community Services, Uniting Aged Care-Southern Tasmania, Australia.
ROGER RUMBLE
Affiliation:
School of Pharmacy, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia.
*
Address for correspondence: Andrew Robinson, Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, Menzies Research Institute, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 121, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia. E-mail: Andrew.Robinson@utas.edu.au
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Abstract

Ageing in Place policies have transferred responsibility for many frail elderly people and those living with dementia from residential to in-home care. Despite this placing a greater obligation on families, in Australia carers continue to under-use day respite services. This qualitative design study identified issues around the use of day respite care from the perspective of the family carer, focusing on barriers to attendance and strategies to facilitate attendance. Telephone interviews were held in 2007 with Tasmanian carers whose family member refused to attend day respite care (ten carers) and those whose family member attended (17). Carers considering day respite care were often overwhelmed by the quantity of information, confused about the process, and worried about the recipient's safety in an unfamiliar environment. They felt anxious about public acknowledgement of the condition leading to fear of embarrassment. Day respite care users appreciated the break it provided them and the opportunity for their family member to socialise. To facilitate a greater uptake of day respite care, reliable information sources and strategies to help carers deal with the emotions they face on a daily basis, together with a wider social acceptance of dementia, are important. Furthermore, carers need an opportunity to talk with others, enabling them to gain support from those who have successfully introduced a family member to day respite care.

Keywords

carersdementiaday respitesupportcaregivingAustralia
Type
Articles
Information
Ageing & Society , Volume 32 , Issue 2 , February 2012 , pp. 196 - 218
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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