Social Lives
Author: Linzi Ryan, Assistant Professor in Department of Design Innovation
Dementia is the greatest global challenge for health and social care in the 21st century with an estimated 47 million individuals diagnosed worldwide, with this number projected to rise to 131.5 million by 2050. The majority of people with dementia live in community settings, supported by family and friends (also known as informal caregivers) who provide care services. As dementia is a progressive disease characterized by cognitive and functional decline, over time people with dementia become increasingly dependent on support services. Research has shown that Community Based Services (CBS), which aim to coordinate the treatment and care of people with dementia, can potentially provide a better quality of life for the care receiver, enable them to remain at home for longer, and be more cost effective then residential care. Despite these benefits of CBS, people with dementia and caregivers use fewer services in comparison to other people in need of care. While societal, cultural, and logistical factors affecting caregiver use of CBS are frequently studied, research of internal emotional barriers, mental limitations created by one’s own self that prevents open communication of thoughts and feelings, and their effect on CBS use is limited.
Continue reading “Understanding emotional barriers to community dementia care services in Ireland: A caregiver perspective”