Priority 13 from the Setting priorities for social care research in Wales project

UNCERTAINTY: How can respite for carers of older people be improved? (Priority 13)
Overall ranking	13
JLA question ID	0102/13
Explanatory note	Older people and carers were concerned that there aren’t enough providers of respite for carers especially in rural areas and that without breaks carers are more likely to become stressed and ill themselves. Having respite when the carer is ill is especially important as often the carers of older people are older people themselves. Practitioners additionally asked what barriers prevent carers from accessing respite.
Evidence	Maayan N, Soares‐Weiser K, Lee H. Respite care for people with dementia and their carers. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2014, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD004396. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD004396.pub3.
Health Research Classification System category	Generic health relevance

Extra information provided by this project
Original uncertainty examples	How can respite care of short breaks for the carer be more flexible and more responsive in rural areas where there are less providers providing such a service? ~ What are the barriers for unpaid carers in terms of respite? ~ More frequent and longer respite hours would assist me as my wifes condition deteriorates. ~ My mother needs someone who can be me some of the time, doing these errands and jobs around the home. We don't know how to arrange this especially when I want to go away for a break. ~ G.P's surgeries are slow to react when respite nursing care is required when the primary carer has suffered ill-health ~ Support (incl. respite support) could reduce the guilt that carers feel.
Submitted by	7 x carers, 2 x practitioners, 2 x group members (a mix of older people and carers)

Extra information provided by this project

Original uncertainty examples

How can respite care of short breaks for the carer be more flexible and more responsive in rural areas where there are less providers providing such a service? ~ What are the barriers for unpaid carers in terms of respite? ~ More frequent and longer respite hours would assist me as my wifes condition deteriorates. ~ My mother needs someone who can be me some of the time, doing these errands and jobs around the home. We don't know how to arrange this especially when I want to go away for a break. ~ G.P's surgeries are slow to react when respite nursing care is required when the primary carer has suffered ill-health ~ Support (incl. respite support) could reduce the guilt that carers feel.

Submitted by

7 x carers, 2 x practitioners, 2 x group members (a mix of older people and carers)

Project information
Project unique ID	0102
Project name	Setting priorities for social care research in Wales
Total number of uncertainties identified by this project.	35 (To see a full list of all uncertainties identified, please see the detailed spreadsheet held on the JLA website)
Date of priority setting workshop	16 & 17 September 2020