Family Physician’s and Primary Care Team’s Perspectives on Supporting Family Caregivers in Primary Care Networks

Jasneet Parmar, Sharon Anderson, Marjan Abbasi, Saeed Ahmadinejad, Karenn Chan, Lesley Charles, Bonnie Dobbs, Amandeep Sheny Khera, Jennifer Stickney-Lee, Peter George J. Tian and Suvidha Jain
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Jasneet Parmar: Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2T4, Canada
Sharon Anderson: Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2T4, Canada
Marjan Abbasi: Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2T4, Canada
Saeed Ahmadinejad: Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2T4, Canada
Karenn Chan: Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2T4, Canada
Lesley Charles: Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2T4, Canada
Bonnie Dobbs: Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2T4, Canada
Amandeep Sheny Khera: Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2T4, Canada
Jennifer Stickney-Lee: Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2T4, Canada
Peter George J. Tian: Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2T4, Canada
Suvidha Jain: Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2T4, Canada

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 6, 1-14

Abstract: Background. Research, practice, and policy have focused on educating family caregivers to sustain care but failed to equip healthcare providers to effectively support family caregivers. Family physicians are well-positioned to care for family caregivers. Methods. We adopted an interpretive description design to explore family physicians and primary care team members’ perceptions of their current and recommended practices for supporting family caregivers. We conducted focus groups with family physicians and their primary care team members. Results. Ten physicians and 42 team members participated. We identified three major themes. “Family physicians and primary care teams can be a valuable source of support for family caregivers” highlighted these primary care team members’ broad recognition of the need to support family caregiver’s health. “What stands in the way” spoke to the barriers in current practices that precluded supporting family caregivers. Primary care teams recommended, “A structured approach may be a way forward.” Conclusion. A plethora of research and policy documents recommend proactive, consistent support for family caregivers, yet comprehensive caregiver support policy remains elusive. The continuity of care makes primary care an ideal setting to support family caregivers. Now policy-makers must develop consistent protocols to assess, and care for family caregivers in primary care.

Keywords: family physicians; primary care; family caregiver; carers; chronic disease; multidisciplinary team (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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