Perspectives of practitioners on support for caregivers of children with intellectual disability.
Lebogang L Molefe, Leepile A Sehularo, Daleen M Koen
PMID 39221716WHAT IT FOUND
Practitioners said caregivers of children with profound intellectual disability need regular training, emotional support, adequate equipment and staffing, and better pay.
No patient outcomes were measured.
Key findings
01Four themes emerged for supporting secondary caregivers: knowledge and skills development, stress reduction, resources, and motivation.
02Participants reported caregivers lack specific skills because their training does not cover intellectual disability, and recommended in-service training and demonstrations for tasks like feeding and transferring.
03Shortages of equipment and staff were linked to caregiver distress, with participants citing special wheelchairs, lifting machines, and disposable nappies as examples of missing resources.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was confined to one province in South Africa, so the perspectives may not apply to other regions or countries. The sample was small (12 practitioners) and purposively selected, which limits generalisability. The study reports the perspectives of practitioners, not the experiences of the caregivers themselves or patient outcomes.
Declared interests
No specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret these themes as evidence that the proposed support strategies improve caregiver well-being or patient outcomes. The study reports what practitioners believe is needed, not the results of an intervention.