Support groups for family members of older adults in residential aged care: A pilot feasibility study

IF 1.4 4区医学 Q4 GERIATRICS & GERONTOLOGY

Australasian Journal on Ageing Pub Date : 2025-01-12 DOI:10.1111/ajag.13397

Sofie Dunkerley, Sunil Bhar, Jahar Bhowmik, Helen Almond, Maja Nedeljkovic, Aida Brydon, Denise Wissmann, Mark Silver, Jenny Linossier

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objectives

There are limited mental health support services in Australia that address the well-being of family members of aged care residents. The aim of this project was to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary effectiveness of an online program designed to support residents' families.

Methods

This one-arm mixed methods project examined uptake, attendance and retention patterns, satisfaction and experience with the service, and pre- and postoutcomes with respect to depressive and anxiety symptoms and loneliness. The sample comprised 38 participants.

Results

The uptake, attendance and retention rates were high: 86%, 87% and 95%, respectively. Participants were satisfied with the content and format of the program. The benefits of participation included the following: connecting with peers, developing emotional well-being strategies, and learning about dementia and mental health issues. Suggestions for improving the program included the following: offering additional sessions and an option for meeting face-to-face. Symptoms of depression and anxiety improved significantly from pre- to postintervention time points, but loneliness did not statistically reduce over time.

Conclusions

This study found the family support group feasible and acceptable, and showed preliminary indications of effectiveness for improving depressive and anxiety symptoms for families of aged care residents.

查看原文本刊更多论文

安老院舍长者家属支援小组：可行性试验研究。

目的：在澳大利亚，解决老年护理居民家庭成员福祉的心理健康支持服务有限。该项目的目的是评估一个旨在支持居民家庭的在线项目的可行性、可接受性和初步有效性。方法：这个单臂混合方法项目检查了接受、出勤和保留模式、对服务的满意度和体验，以及与抑郁、焦虑症状和孤独感有关的前后结果。样本包括38名参与者。结果：学生的吸收率、出勤率和留校率分别为86%、87%和95%。参加者对节目的内容和形式都很满意。参与的好处包括：与同龄人联系，发展情感健康策略，以及了解痴呆症和心理健康问题。改进方案的建议包括：提供额外的会议和面对面会议的选择。从干预前到干预后的时间点，抑郁和焦虑症状明显改善，但孤独感并没有随着时间的推移而减少。结论：本研究发现家庭支持小组是可行和可接受的，并初步显示出改善老年居民家庭抑郁和焦虑症状的有效迹象。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Australasian Journal on Ageing 医学-老年医学

CiteScore

3.10

自引率

6.20%

发文量

114

审稿时长

>12 weeks

期刊介绍： Australasian Journal on Ageing is a peer reviewed journal, which publishes original work in any area of gerontology and geriatric medicine. It welcomes international submissions, particularly from authors in the Asia Pacific region.