Understanding the Sustainability of Informal Care of People with Dementia: A family carers' perspective

Abstract

The number of people suffering from dementia is projected to increase over the coming decades, resulting in enormous pressure on the community and in particular on the family carers of people with dementia. This study aims to explore the broader question of how family carers of people with dementia living in the community successfully manage and sustain informal caring at present, and how they will continue to provide care in the future, by identifying the challenges associated with the continuation of their care. The qualitative study, conducted in the state of Queensland in Australia, focuses on a carer's perspective and was obtained through in-depth interviewing and thematic analysis of family carers' experiences in providing care for their family members with dementia. This research, while providing a greater understanding about the management of caring by family carers, including the impact of caring on them and the interface between informal and formal care, also provides recommendations for increasing the sustainability of informal care of people with dementia at present and in the future.