Caregivers’ Experiences Regarding Training and Support in the Post-Acute Home Health-Care Setting

• Main Authors: Jo-Ana D Chase PhD, APRN-BC, David Russell PhD, Meridith Rice MSN, RN, CNL, Carmen Abbott PhD, PT, Kathryn H Bowles PhD, RN, FAAN, FACMI, David R Mehr MD, MS
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: SAGE Publishing 2020-08-01
• Series: Journal of Patient Experience
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1177/2374373519869156

Background: Post-acute home health-care (HHC) services provide a unique opportunity to train and support family caregivers of older adults returning home after a hospitalization. To enhance family-focused training and support strategies, we must first understand caregivers’ experiences. Objective: To explore caregivers’ experiences regarding training and support for managing older adults’ physical functioning (PF) needs in the post-acute HHC setting. Method: We conducted a qualitative descriptive study using semi-structured telephone interviews of 20 family caregivers. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using conventional content analysis. Results: We identified the following primary categories: facilitators to learning (eg, past experience, learning methods), barriers to learning (eg, learning on their own, communication, timing/logistics, preferred information and timing of information delivery), and interactions with HHC providers (eg, positive/negative interactions, provider training and knowledge). Conclusion: Caregivers were responsive to learning strategies to manage older adults’ PF needs and, importantly, voiced ideas to improve family-focused training and support. HHC providers can use these findings to tailor training and support of family caregivers in the post-acute HHC setting.