Informal carers' experiences of caring for older adults at home: a phenomenological study.

Abstract

Informal carers provide vital input to maintain the health and social care needs of older adults. A more in-depth understanding of the experiences of informal carers, their value to society, and the support required to assist them is necessary to ensure the future care of older adults. The aim of this study is to explore the experiences of informal carers in Ireland and to identify the support required in caring for older adults at home. Informal carers' experiences are critically discussed under four main themes: time is not your own, duty of care, burden of caring, and support for informal carers. It is evident that informal carers of older adults provide the majority of care in the home with inconsistent or no support. Strategies to support carers have been identified but now require a uniform implementation that must be translated into practice.