Looking after my spouse study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Older frail spouses’ experiences of providing end-of-life care: a narrative analysis
IRAS ID
253939
Contact name
Stephen Barclay
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Cambridge
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 7 months, 0 days
Research summary
As people live longer, people are increasingly requiring palliative care at the end of their lives. Governments recognise that this kind of care is expensive and are therefore urging family members to provide this care at home. Older people, and especially spouses, are therefore increasingly providing this care for their loved ones. While academics and health care professionals know that caring for someone at end-of-life can take a toll on the carers’ health and wellbeing, relatively little is known about how carers over 75 are faring. There is, however, some indication that people in this age bracket are likely to have their own health concerns. This study aims to explore what it is like to support your spouse who is at end-of-life at home when you yourself are older and frail.
Drawing on social science theories and methods, this study will look at how both features of individual’s identity and their wider context influence how they think about and do/ receive ‘care’. This study will involve two interviews over a 2-3 month period of time with approximately 15 couples, where at least one of them is reaching their end of life and the other is frail. Couples will be interviewed separately and together so each can talk about their own experiences and to gain insight to their relationship. Participants will be recruited through palliative care teams, hospice at home, GPs, older people’s charitable organisations and a flyer in the community. Enabling couples to talk about their experiences of care over a period of time will contribute to better understanding of what palliative care at home involves and how it is understood by older couples. In exploring this understudied but relevant area for healthcare and clinical work, this study will inform future policy and practice. This study is funded by the Woolf Fisher Trust based in New Zealand.REC name
North West - Liverpool Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/NW/0858
Date of REC Opinion
11 Feb 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion