VeSpaRo - Reconciling care and work for informal carers of people with dementia
Opportunities and challenges in the area of conflict between competing private and professional roles
Project overview
| Duration: | 2023 - 2024 |
| Funding: | Bundesministerium für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend (BMFSFJ) |
| Project Management and Coordination: | Dr. Bernhard Holle |
| Project Staff: | Georg Franken |
Background
In Germany, around four out of five people who are in need of care currently live at home and are mainly cared for there by their family members. The proportion of informal carers who are employed has risen steadily in recent years. The combination of care responsibilities and the demands imposed by the need to earn a living creates an area of tension for many informal carers, which inevitably has a negative effect. However, working can also be perceived as a diversion from care work and thus contributes to relief, greater life satisfaction and thus to the stability of the care situation.
The specific situation of informal carers of people with dementia is often more stressful than the situation of other family carers. However, while the topic of ‘reconciling care and work’ is already receiving a lot of attention in general, the level of knowledge about the specific situation of informal carers of people with dementia is lower.
The National Dementia Strategy in Germany addresses the issue of reconciling care and work and has commissioned a study on this topic.
Project Aims
The project analyses gaps in research and support for working informal carers of people with dementia.
Methods
To achieve the objectives, a rapid scoping review will be written as a first step, in which findings from scientific and grey literature will be analysed with regard to the evidence already available and gaps in research and support will be identified. In order to deepen the analysis, in a second step, working informal carers of people with dementia as well as experts from practice will be interviewed.
Expected Results
The project VeSpaRo will provide an overview of key concepts and essential thematic fields of research on the topic of ‘Reconciling care and work in the context of dementia’. Gaps in research and support will be identified and included in the national framework. Recommendations for action will be proposed based on these results.
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