Evaluation of the consumer - directed care initiative - Final Report
6.5 Impacts on carers
Table of contents
- Executive summary
- Glossary
1 Introduction- 2 The consumer-directed care initiative
- 3 Evaluation of the consumer-directed care initiative
- 4 Profile of participants and the supports they accessed
- 5 Implementation and operation of the initiative
6 Impact of the initiative for CDC participants and their carers- 7 Impact of the initiative for CDRC participants and the people they care for
- 8 Impact on providers and the broader service system
- 9 Cost assessment and cost-effectiveness of the initiative
- 10 Key findings
- 11 Lessons learnt and strategies for consideration
- Appendices
- References
Role and involvement of carers in CDC
Most CDCH participants, and all CDCHD participants, had one or several carers (their ‘nominated representative’, and sometimes other family members or friends) who were actively involved in all stages of their CDC package, including:- making the initial decision to participate in CDC
- care planning and budgeting process
- monitoring of service delivery
- liaising with the CDC provider and agencies/service providers
- undertaking the day-to-day coordination of the package.
Carer of CDCH participant
aged in her 40s
Carers were typically spouses or adult children (often daughters) of the CDC participant, but there was a wide range of caring relationships including children-in-law, nieces and nephews, and friends. It was clear that carers played a key role in decision-making in high care CDC packages. Decisions tended to be made either jointly between the carer(s) and participant, or, depending on the participant’s frailty, dementia status and/or level of engagement and interest, by the carer(s).
The role of carers in CDCL packages was less prominent. Several CDCL participants interviewed for the evaluation saw the package as a way for them to maintain their independence and to minimise reliance on family members. Where CDCL participants did have carers, the carers also expected to play an active part and have their role as a carer respected by the CDC provider.
Overall, the interlinked roles of participant, carers and families in the CDC process meant that it was sometimes difficult to distinguish the views of the participant and the carer(s) in the surveys and interviews because they saw themselves as a unit and the CDC package as a family support.
Top of page