Care-giver network transformations: the need for an integrated perspective

Abstract

This paper reviews recent research on care-giver networks and the concepts and approach that they apply, with particular reference to the support networks of the primary care-givers of older people with Alzheimer's disease. It makes the case for an integrated approach to the explanation of the various combinations of formal and informal support that are found. It argues that more attention needs to be given to transformations in care-giver networks over time, and that this will require more development of both theoretical perspectives and analytical tools. The stages of a care-giver's commitment towards an elderly relative are examined, to understand the associations between changes in the ailing person's needs, the structure of the support network and the primary care-giver's roles. This approach makes useful contributions to the understanding of the development, maintenance and dissolution of supportive ties. Following the work of Pescosolido (1991), we propose an integrated perspective that combines the ' care-giver career ' approach and the methods of ' social network ' analysis.

Using the life course perspective to study the entry into the illness trajectory: The perspective of caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease

“…First, we performed categorical content analysis (Miles & Huberman, 1994) and focused on two elements related to family history: family members 'health status and actors' caregiving experiences. We also explored the concept of linked lives by identifying actors both through the network approach (second section of the questionnaire) and through our narrative analysis (third section; Carpentier & Ducharme, 2003. The combined findings of the social network approach and narrative methodology are illustrated in Fig.…”

Paid and unpaid support received by co-resident informal caregivers attending to community-dwelling older adults in Spain

“…Two main models of the relationship between formal and informal care have been defined: a complementary taskspecific model (Carpentier and Ducharme 2003) in which formal care emerges when a dependent person's needs exceed informal caregiver capacities; and a supplementary or substitution model, where formal and informal caregivers provide similar types of care, and are therefore replaceable (Davey and Patsios 1999). The study by Bonsang (2009) of Europe using data from SHARE 2004 found that informal care is an effective substitute for formal care as long as the needs of the dependent older adults are low and require unskilled care.…”

Wellbeing as a proxy for a mHealth study

“…We have proposed the new concept of carer network which is based on the relationships in an existing healthcare regime that is common worldwide [44]. The carer network, works in harmony with, and provides support for, existing relationships and interactions between patients and healthcare professionals: 1) the doctor or consultant in charge of the management of the healthcare regime; 2) the professional carer who is a local contact for the patient and implements the clinical care (e.g.…”