Great expectations: a systematic review of the literature on the role of family carers in severe mental illness, and their relationships and engagement with professionals
- 22 May 2011
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Wiley in Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing
- Vol. 19 (1), 70-82
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2850.2011.01756.x
Abstract
As community care has become embedded in the U.K. as in much of the western world more responsibility for psychosocial care has been placed on family carers. A systematic review of the literature about the role of family carers supporting a relative with severe mental illness and their relationships and engagement with professionals was carried out. The review aimed to find out what professionals expected of family carers and what family carers expected of themselves. Themes were identified: the distinct and personal nature of family caring, potentially effective family caring, barriers to effective caring and ways to overcome barriers. There were expectations that family carers were obligated to help support effective care, but that the rights to enable carers to fulfil these obligations were not consistently upheld. Barriers to upholding rights include: types of service provision, professional attitudes to communication and engagement with carers, and carer ability to cope. Recommendations for practice included: service provision aimed at including carers, more empathic communication by professionals, and a covenant between mental health services and people who depend on them. The idea of a covenant requires more discussion and research is needed into what is expected of family carers.Keywords
This publication has 31 references indexed in Scilit:
- Beyond satisfaction, what service users expect of inpatient mental health care: a literature reviewJournal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 2009
- Mental health crisis and respite services: service user and carer aspirationsJournal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 2009
- Factors Affecting the Sense of Burden Felt by Family Members Caring for Patients With Mental IllnessArchives of Psychiatric Nursing, 2009
- ‘Confidentiality smokescreens’ and carers for people with mental health problems: the perspectives of professionalsHealth & Social Care in the Community, 2008
- How do patients expect the mental health service system to act? Testing the WHO responsiveness concept for its appropriateness in mental health careSocial Science & Medicine, 2007
- What Can We Expect from Paid Carers?Politics & Society, 2006
- The Indeterminacy of Choice: Political, Policy and Organisational ImplicationsSocial Policy and Society, 2006
- Using thematic analysis in psychologyQualitative Research in Psychology, 2006
- A study of family contact with clients and staff of community mental health teamsPsychiatric Bulletin, 2005
- Community mental health care in IndiaInternational Review of Psychiatry, 2005