Priority 13 from the Social care and support for older people PSP

UNCERTAINTY: How can respite for carers of older people be improved?  (Priority 13)
Overall ranking 13
JLA question ID 0102/13
Explanatory note Older people and carers were concerned that there aren’t enough providers of respite for carers especially in rural areas and that without breaks carers are more likely to become stressed and ill themselves. Having respite when the carer is ill is especially important as often the carers of older people are older people themselves. Practitioners additionally asked what barriers prevent carers from accessing respite. 
Evidence

Maayan  N, Soares‐Weiser  K, Lee  H. Respite care for people with dementia and their carers. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2014, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD004396. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD004396.pub3. 
Health Research Classification System category Generic health relevance 
Extra information provided by this project
Original uncertainty examples How can respite care of short breaks for the carer be more flexible and more responsive in rural areas where there are less providers providing such a service? ~ What are the barriers for unpaid carers in terms of respite? ~ More frequent and longer respite hours would assist me as my wifes condition deteriorates.  ~ My mother needs someone who can be me some of the time, doing these errands and jobs around the home. We don't know how to arrange this especially when I want to go away for a break. ~ G.P's surgeries are slow to react when respite nursing care is required when the primary carer has suffered ill-health ~ Support (incl. respite support) could reduce the guilt that carers feel. 
Submitted by 7 x carers, 2 x practitioners, 2 x group members (a mix of older people and carers) 
Project information
Project unique ID 0102
Project name Setting priorities for social care research in Wales
Total number of uncertainties identified by this project. 35  (To see a full list of all uncertainties identified, please see the detailed spreadsheet held on the JLA website)
Date of priority setting workshop 16 & 17 September 2020