Isenring, Elisabeth

Marshall, Skye

Reidlinger, Dianne Patricia

Young, Adrienne M

English

The engagement of family carers as part of the rehabilitation nutrition team may improve patient outcomes; however, research is needed to explore the role and needs of carers. The purpose of this longitudinal qualitative study was to determine the nutrition and food-related roles,experiences and support needs of female family carers of community-dwelling malnourished older adults admitted to rehabilitation units in rural New South Wales, both during admission and following discharge.Four female carers were interviewed during their care-recipients’rehabilitation admission and two-weeks post-discharge. The semi-structured interviews were audiotapes, transcribed and analysed reflecting an interpretative phenomenological approach by three researchers. Three inter-related‘drivers’were developed and discussed:responsibility,family carer nutrition ethos and quality of life. A key finding was that although carers may recognise nutritional problems and assume primary responsibility for nutrition support even in the rehabilitation setting, they may fail to engage with formal nutrition support for a variety of reasons including a fear of financial implications or a belief that dietitians would not provide individualised assistance. Further, carers may hold strong nutritional beliefs that are incongruous with an evidence-based approach, leading to the use of inappropriate nutrition strategies. Findings revealed that carers may have a principal focus on quality of life as both a nutritional strategy and outcome for their care-recipients. Broadly, the findings of this study challenge current dietetic practice, revealing that‘family care’should be integrated with‘formal care’in the rehabilitation setting. Suggestions for practice were developed based on the findings; however,intervention research is needed

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Bond UniversityResearch RepositoryFamily carer experiences, roles and support needs: implications for dietitians in rehabilitationMarshall, Skye; Reidlinger, Dianne Patricia; Young, Adrienne M; Isenring, ElisabethPublished in:Nutrition and DieteticsDOI:10.1111/1747-0080.12353Published: 01/05/2017Document Version:Peer reviewed versionLink to publication in Bond University research repository.Recommended citation(APA):Marshall, S., Reidlinger, D. P., Young, A. M., & Isenring, E. (2017). Family carer experiences, roles and supportneeds: implications for dietitians in rehabilitation. Nutrition and Dietetics, 74(S1), 42.https://doi.org/10.1111/1747-0080.12353General rightsCopyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright ownersand it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights.For more information, or if you believe that this document breaches copyright, please contact the Bond University research repositorycoordinator.Download date: 10 May 2019“Carer-Centered Care”Family carer experiences, roles and support needs: Implications for dietitians in rehabilitationCRICOS CODE 00017BDr Skye Marshall, Dianne P Reidlinger, Adrienne Young, Elizabeth Isenring33-53%14-24%30-65%Rehabilitation HomeFamily caring superheros The dietitian (also a superhero)Family carer experiences, roles and support needs: according to carers….Suggestion for practice Oh look! Old Lex has been eating poorly lately…Welcome to RehabilitationLost your appetite? Did you know there is a dietitian here to help at no cost to you?Ask your nurse for a referral.I know a lot about nutrition; I can manage myselfIf Lex needed a dietitian, they would have told meThey don’t really understand Lex’s needs –they couldn’t help him eat betterI didn’t know there was a dietitian or other food optionsHmm… I won’t ask for a dietitian, its too expensiveOh Lex is fine, he just needs more exerciseSuggestion for practice Suggestion for practice Hi Mr Man, I’m the dietitian at rehab, and I’ve just been referred to see Mr Luther, I understand he lives with you?Suggestion for practice “I think it is awfully important to be involved, particularly if he’s coming home. I’d have to be. That’s you know, that’s the be all and end all of that. I mean, I’d have to be…. I’m buying the food, I’m cooking the food, I’m serving the food… I must be involved in that”.- Joan, carer of AlfredSuggestion for practice I just don’t feel like eating right now, I’ll be fine when I get homePlease just tell me what he needs to be having; I’ll make sure he gets itSuggestion for practice What are your beliefs and values about nutrition?Oh look! Old Lex has been eating poorly lately…Suggestion for practice Suggestion for practice I can see you both know each other well; what are your current concerns with eating or nutrition?Suggestion for practice Lex needs soup in the evenings; I make it and freeze it for him every weekNo problem, do you have ideas for how to include some meat?I know a lot about nutrition; I can manage myselfI didn’t know there was a dietitian or other food optionsHmm… I won’t ask for a dietitian, its too expensiveOh Lex is fine, he just needs more exerciseSuggestion for practice They don’t really understand Lex’s needs –they couldn’t help him eat betterIf Lex needed a dietitian, they would have told meSuggestion for practice We want Lex to enjoy his dinner with a glass of port; dining is one of his last pleasures in lifeI want Mr Luther to gain 0.5kg per week and stabilise BGLs <10mmol/LSuggestion for practice HPHE + Quality of Life = YUM + Weight stabilisation[ INTRO PAGE DIVIDER ]Where to read/access:✓ Ask me – I have a few copies here at the conference✓ Search “Skye Marshall” in Google Scholar → link to free full text✓ Search the paper in Google (free) or a literature database (not free)Authors declare no conflicts of interest. This study received no specific funding.

Family carer experiences, roles and support needs: implications for dietitians in rehabilitation

https://pure.bond.edu.au/ws/files/30102405/MARSHALL_DAA_2017_PECHA_KUCHA_v2.pdf

Family carer experiences, roles and support needs: implications for dietitians in rehabilitation

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