Supporting carers' navigation of older adults' care transitions

Significance: Research is needed to support the development of a resource for informal carers during the care transitions of older adults. The study is significant because it will inform future research to develop and test a resource/s to support informal carers. Transitional care, including discharge planning, is defined as the continuous care for patients across different programs and settings. When transitional care is ineffective problems arise including early re-admission to hospital and unwanted placement in residential aged care. Informal carer support during older adults’ care transitions is crucial to regaining independence and a quality ageing experience. In Australian community-aged care models based in consumer-directed care, older adults and informal carers are expected to take greater responsibility for their transitional care. Yet carer roles and needs during older adults’ care transitions, including from hospital to home, are largely unknown.
Research question: What are informal carer roles and needs during care transitions for older adults living with chronic illness in community-aged care?
Methods: A Carer Advisory Group will be established, including informal carers of older adults and peak body representatives, to provide guidance to the study. The first phase of the study will involve telephone interviews with 25 informal carers and with 10 health practitioners providing transitional care to older adults. The interviews will enable a detailed understanding of the informal carer role, and the development of a survey. In the second study phase, informal carers of older adults will be invited to test the survey.