Preparedness For Caregiving Scale Research Articles

Burden and preparedness of care partners of people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis at home in Korea: A care partner survey.

The care burden of people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (pALS) increases with disease progression. This study aimed to investigate the home care status and preparedness of care partners of pALS (cALS) in Korea. An online survey was conducted with family care partners of patients diagnosed with ALS for over 1 year in 2022. The data collected included care time, depression evaluated using the patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), preparedness for caregiving scale (PCS), and caregiver competence scale (CCS). Results were compared based on whether the pALS underwent a tracheostomy or not. Ninety-eight cALS of 98 pALS participated in the study, of whom 59 pALS had undergone tracheostomy. Among the cALS, 60.2% were spouses, and 34.7% were children. The cALS took care of the patients for 13 (8-20) hours/day (median, interquartile range [IQR]) on weekdays and 15 (10-24) h/day on weekends. Among the cALS, 91.8% were depressed, and 28.6% had severe depression. The median (IQR) PCS and CCS scores were low (11/32 (8-15) and 8/20 (8-11), respectively), and both were lower in those caring for patients without than with tracheostomy (p < .001 and p < .02, respectively). Most cALS (77.6%) wished to continue caring for their pALS at home. Family care partners of pALS spend more than half of each day caring for patients and are often depressed. Most cALS preferred providing care at home, but felt ill-prepared. Designing home-based medical care is necessary for pALS to thrive at home.

Influence of preparedness on caregiver burden, depression, and quality of life in caregivers of people with disabilities.

Caregiver preparedness is defined as the perceived preparation of caregivers to care for the physical and emotional needs of the patient. This study investigated caregiver preparedness and its influences on caregiver burden, depression, and quality of life (QoL) in caregivers of individuals with disabilities. We conducted a multicenter cross-sectional survey study on caregivers caring for patients with disabilities. Sociodemographic characteristics were collected via questionnaires. The Preparedness for Caregiving Scale (PCS), Burden Interview (BI), Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), and EuroQol-Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-VAS) were administered. A total of 151 caregivers were enrolled. The mean age of caregivers was 53.7 ± 12.4 years, and 80.8% were female. The majority of participants were the main caregivers of patients with stroke, spinal cord injury, or traumatic brain injury. The mean PCS score was 2.1 ± 0.9, demonstrating significant relationships with BI (r = -0.512, p < 0.001), CES-D (r = -0.622, p < 0.001), and EQ-VAS (r = 0.441, p < 0.001). The CES-D was significantly associated with the PCS after controlling other variables. However, PCS did not show any correlation with the duration of caregiving or amount of time spent per day on caregiving. The clinical implications of this study are that higher caregiver preparedness is a predictor of less caregiver burden and depression, and better QoL. However, preparedness did not increase as the duration or time spent on caregiving was extended. Therefore, efforts to enhance the caregivers' preparedness are required to reduce caregiver burden and improve health outcomes for both caregivers and patients.

The Preparedness for Caregiving Scale in African American and White Caregivers of Hospitalized Persons With Dementia

This study evaluated the Preparedness for Caregiving Scale (PCS) upon discharge from the hospital. The caregivers reported a mean age of 60.5 years (SD=13.9). The majority of caregivers were female (72%), married (59%), non-Hispanic/Latino (98%) and either white (52%) or African American (48%). Fifty percent were employed outside of the home and averaged 40.7 (SD= 14.4) hours of outside work per week. The average PCS was 24.4 (SD=6.9, 0-32). One-factor structure of the PCS and measurement invariance by race was fully supported. Predicative validity revealed significant association between the PCS and anxiety (β =-.41, t = -7.61(287), p <.001), depression (β =-.44, t =-8.39 (287), p <.001), and strain (β =-.48, t =-9.29(287), p <.001). The PCS is a valid and meaningful tool to measure preparedness in African American and white family caregivers of persons with dementia during post- hospitalization transition.

Dementia Ready: Comparing Approaches for Building Caregiver Readiness and Knowledge of Dementia

Despite the rising prevalence of dementia and the high cost and complexity of care for people with dementia, most dementia care is provided at home by informal caregivers who are not clinically trained. Building caregiver readiness and knowledge of dementia is key to supporting quality care and desirable health outcomes, such as preventing falls and reducing nursing home admissions. We sought to determine and compare the impact of two interventions—Resilient Living with Dementia (RLWD) and Care of Persons with Dementia in their Environments (COPE)—and of their combined delivery (both RLWD and COPE) on increasing caregiver readiness and knowledge of dementia. Between January 2019 and March 2021, 77 caregivers of people with dementia in Connecticut participated in RLWD and/or COPE and completed the Alzheimer’s Disease Knowledge Scale (ADKS) and the Preparedness for Caregiving Scale (PCGS) at baseline and at four-month and ten-month follow-ups. Analyses were conducted to compare outcomes by intervention(s). From baseline to four months and to ten months, we observed statistically significant (p < .05) improvement on the ADKS among participants in RLWD, and on the PCGS among participants in COPE and among participants in RLWD. The most substantial impact on PCGS was observed among participants in both COPE and RLWD. No improvement in the ADKS was observed among participants in only COPE, but ADKS improvement was observed at four months among participants in COPE and RLWD. Findings suggest that the benefits of COPE and RLWD for building dementia caregiver readiness are complementary and mutually reinforcing.

Evaluation of care burden and caregiving preparedness in caregivers of patients with epilepsy: A sample in eastern Turkey

AimThis study was conducted to evaluate the care burden and caregiving preparedness in caregivers of patients with epilepsy. MethodsThis descriptive, cross-sectional study evaluated the caregivers of patients with epilepsy who were referred to the neurology outpatient clinic of a university hospital in Erzurum, eastern Turkey, between February 2020 and February 2021. The study was carried out with 147 volunteers among the patients with epilepsy who were referred to the neurology outpatient clinic between the specified dates. The data were collected with Caregiver Question Form, the Brief Disability Questionnaire (BDQ), the Burden Interview (BI), and the Preparedness for Caregiving Scale (PCS). ResultsThe mean BI score of the caregivers who participated in the study was 43.14 ± 18.08, their mean PCS score was 14.12 ± 7.76, and their mean BDQ score was 10.53 ± 4.65. In the regression analysis conducted, it was found that being married, having little knowledge of patient care, undertaking all of the roles in caregiving and having caregiving duration of 24 months and longer had a negative effect on PCS total score, while having an undergraduate degree and higher had a positive significant effect. It was found that having an undergraduate degree and higher had a negative effect on BI total score, while all of the roles undertaken in caregiving had a positive significant effect on BI total score. It was found that PCS had a negative significant effect on BI total score (p < 0.001). ConclusionCaregivers of patients with epilepsy had a moderate level of burden and caregiving preparedness, and the patients cared for had a moderate level of disability. Caregiver burden increased as disability of patients with epilepsy and the tasks undertaken in caregiving increased, whereas burden decreased as caregiver education and caregiving preparedness increased.

Evaluation of the Caregiver Preparedness Scale in African American and White Caregivers of Persons With Dementia During Post-Hospitalization Transition.

The Preparedness for Caregiving Scale (PCS) is a widely used instrument to measure caregiver preparedness. The purpose was to evaluate the PCS in African American and White caregivers of patients with dementia upon discharge from the hospital. Factor structure, measurement invariance, and predictive validity of the PCS were assessed in a sample of 292 family caregivers/patient dyads. One-factor structure of the PCS and measurement invariance by race was fully supported. Predicative validity revealed significant association between the PCS and anxiety (β = -.41, t = -7.61(287), p < .001), depression (β = -.44, t = -8.39(287), p < .001), and strain (β = -.48, t = -9.29(287), p < .001). The PCS is a valid and meaningful tool to measure preparedness in African American and White family caregivers of persons with dementia during post-hospitalization transition.

Translation and Psychometric Testing of the Indonesian Version of the Preparedness for Caregiving Scale

Background: Although many previous studies have used the Preparedness for Caregiving Scale (PCS), it has not been translated and validated in Indonesia. Purpose: This study aimed to translate and evaluate the PCS’s psychometric adequacy among family caregiver of non-communicable disease (NCD) patients in Indonesia. Methods: The linguistic of the PCS was validated using a standard forward-backward process. The Indonesian version was approved with Content Validity Index (CVI). Then a cross-sectional survey was conducted to establish the construct validity of the PCS to measure caregiver preparedness. A purposive sampling approach was used to recruit 40 consenting family caregivers of NCD patients. The PCS sum score was correlated with each item using Pearson product-moment. The internal consistency of the Indonesian version of the PCS (I-PCS) was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha. Results: The Item-CVI (I-CVI) and Scale-level CVI (S-CVI) of the I-PCS were 1.00. It showed the high content validity of the I-PCS. The I-PCS revealed a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.933 for the total score. The Pearson-r was more than 0.320 indicated that the item valid. Conclusion: The I-PCS is appeared to be valid and reliable for measuring the caregiver preparedness of NCD patients in Indonesia.

Psychometric Properties of the Preparedness Assessment for the Transition Home After Stroke Instrument.

The aim of this study was to evaluate psychometric properties of the Preparedness Assessment for the Transition Home After Stroke (PATH-s), a novel instrument to assess stroke caregiver commitment and capacity. The PATH-s instrument can be obtained at www.rehabnurse.org/pathtool. The design of this study is cross-sectional. The PATH-s, the Preparedness for Caregiving Scale (PCS), the Patient Health Questionnaire, the Perceived Stress Scale, and the Global Health Scale were self-reported from a convenience sample of caregiver-stroke survivor dyads (n = 183) during inpatient rehabilitation. Exploratory factor analysis revealed eight factors underlying the PATH-s structure. The PATH-s Cronbach's alpha of .90 demonstrated criterion-related validity with the PCS (r = .79, p < .01). Both the PATH-s and the PCS were negatively correlated with the Patient Health Questionnaire (r = -.26 and -.27, respectively; p < .01) and the Perceived Stress Scale (r = -.12 and -.15, respectively; p > .05) and positively correlated with the Global Health Scale (r = -.46 and .46, respectively; p < .01), indicating convergent validity. The PATH-s demonstrates excellent internal consistency and satisfactory criterion-related and convergent validity. The PATH-s may be used to assess the risk/needs of caregivers over time.

Preparedness among Family Caregivers of Patients with Non-Communicable Diseases in Indonesia

Background: Family caregivers spend 24 hours a day looking after and assisting patients. However, they are not always adequately prepared for all the problems they face. There is a lack of evidence exploring caregivers’ preparedness among family caregivers of patients with non-communicable diseases in Indonesia.Purpose: This study aimed to identify caregivers’ preparedness among family caregivers of patients with non-communicable diseases.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted on 120 Indonesian family caregivers for patients with non-communicable diseases, who were selected using a purposive sampling technique. Data were collected using the Indonesian version of the Preparedness for Caregiving Scale (PCS) which had been validated before its use. The possible scores of this tool ranged from 0.00 to 4.00. The higher the score, the more prepared the family caregivers were. Data were analyzed using one way ANOVA .Results: Family caregivers reported feeling of moderately prepared for caregiving. The score of family caregiver preparedness for patients with diabetes, cancer, and chronic kidney disease were 2.97±0.42; 2.83±0.40; 2.89±0.49, respectively with possible range from 0.00 to 4.00. There were no differences on the caregivers’ preparedness among family caregivers of patients with non-communicable diseases (p=0.387).Conclusion: Caregivers’ preparedness is an essential element of patient care. Nurses have to be proactive in assessing each family caregiver’s preparedness to enhance the quality of life of both the family caregivers and the patients themselves, so that they can be empowered as a source of nursing care.

Caregivers in home palliative care: gender, psychological aspects, and patient's functional status as main predictors for their quality of life.

This study aims to investigate the impact of possible predictors of quality of life (QoL) in a group of Italian caregivers assisting a cancer patient in home palliative care. Data from 570 adult informal caregivers and their cancer-affected relatives were collected. A multivariate regression analysis was conducted to assess the effect of three groups of variables on Caregivers Quality of Life Index-Cancer (CQOLC) scale: (a) socio-demographic characteristics of caregivers; (b) psychological characteristics of caregivers assessed by Profile Mood of States (POMS), Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI), and Preparedness for Caregiving Scale (PCS); (c) Socio-demographic characteristics and functional status of the patients assessed by Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS), Activities of Daily Living (ADL), and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL). Regression analysis shows that some variables from each of these clusters are significantly associated with CQOLC, in particular: (a) the gender of the caregiver (st.β = .115, t = 2.765, p = .006) and the time spent for caregiving (st.β = - .165, t = - 3.960, p < .001); (b) the scores obtained by the caregivers in POMS,CBI (st.β = - .523, t = - 16.984, p < .001 and st.β = - .373, t = - 12.950, p < .001, respectively) and PCS (st.β = .092, t = 3.672, p < .001); (c) the gender (st.β = - .081, t = - 1.933, p = .045) and the IADL score (st.β = .195, t = 4.643, p < .001) of the patient. A multidimensional evaluation is a key strategy to identify the most vulnerable caregivers. Apart from the condition of the patient, the gender of the caregivers, the time spent for caregiving and, above all, their psychological condition are strong predictors of caregivers' QoL.

Use of the Preparedness for Caregiving Scale in Palliative Care: A Rasch Evaluation Study

ContextStudies have shown that family carers who feel more prepared for the caregiver role tend to have more favorable experiences. Valid and reliable methods are needed to identify family carers who may be less prepared for the role of supporting a person who needs palliative care. ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to evaluate the measurement properties of the original English version and a Swedish version of the Preparedness for Caregiving Scale (PCS). MethodsThe sample (n = 674) was taken from four different intervention studies from Australia and Sweden, all focused on improving family carers' feelings of preparedness. Family carers of patients receiving palliative home care were selected, and baseline data were used. The measurement properties of the PCS were evaluated using the Rasch model. ResultsBoth the English and Swedish versions of the PCS exhibit sound measurement properties according to the Rasch model. The items in the PCS captured different levels of preparedness. The response categories were appropriate and corresponded to the level of preparedness. No significant differential item functioning for age and sex was detected. Three items demonstrated differential item functioning by language but did not impact interpretation of scores. Reliability was high (>0.90) according to the Person Separation Index. ConclusionThe PCS is valid for use among family carers in palliative care. Data provide support for its use across age and gender groups as well as across the two language versions.

Caring for a Spouse after Prostate Surgery: The Preparedness Needs of Wives

This study describes wives' self-reports of preparedness to care for their husbands' physical and emotional needs during the first 6 months after surgery for prostate cancer. The research questions addressed in this article are part of a larger study designed to test the effects of a standardized nursing intervention protocol (SNIP) on quality-of-life outcomes in men postprostatectomy. The Preparedness for Caregiving Scale (PCGS) was administered to wives, and an open-ended questionnaire solicited wives' descriptions of how they felt unprepared. The results suggest that nursing services are needed after hospital discharge to support patients and family caregivers to manage the physical and emotional effects related to the cancer diagnosis and treatment. The information gained can be used to refine a home-based nursing intervention to facilitate caregivers' preparedness to enhance patients' physical function and psychosocial adaptation, and ultimately the couple's quality of life.