WISDOM FROM BEREAVED CAREGIVERS WHO RECEIVED NATIONAL FAMILY CAREGIVER SUPPORT SERVICES: NETWORK OPPORTUNITIES

• Published in: Innovation in aging Vol. 2; no. suppl_1; p. 924
• Main Authors: Gruman, C, Menne, H, Vij, N, Montwill, R, Link, G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: US Oxford University Press 16.11.2018
• Subjects: Abstracts
• ISSN: 2399-5300; 2399-5300
• DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igy031.3437

The National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP), established in 2000, provides grants to states and territories to support programs that assist family caregivers who are caring for their loved one in the home. During the Administration for Community Living’s (ACL)/Administration on Aging’s (AoA) outcome evaluation for the NFCSP, several caregivers became ineligible to complete the 12-month interview because their care recipient passed away. The ACL, in collaboration with the Lewin Group, conducted eight qualitative interviews to understand how caregivers interact with NFCSP services in the period leading up to end-of-life care, and during bereavement. Through these interviews, we gathered information on the service components and needs of bereaved caregivers who agreed to participate. Results from this study demonstrate that: 1) Local service providers do have support services for bereaved caregivers; however, this information does not always reach caregivers. 2) There were positive experiences with services; however, tweaking delivery to better suit caregiver needs could be beneficial, such as providing respite less frequently but for longer periods. 3) Caregivers who report feeling isolated and out on their own tend to report not making use of support group and counseling programs. 4) Caregivers report not knowing how to handle the realities of settling their loved one’s affairs, such as canceling social security, closing memberships, settling bills, etc. These results will help close the loop in our understanding of family caregiving, and the preparatory work and supports that caregivers require to cope with bereavement in a healthy manner.