Home-Based Pilot Intervention to Improve Quality of Life and Related Outcomes among Unpaid Caregivers and Their Care-Recipients with Visual Impairments
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Participants
2.2. Intervention Procedures
2.3. Measures
2.4. Data Analyses
3. Results
3.1. Program Implementation
Intervention and Workshops
3.2. Program Efficacy
Summary of Results from the EQ-5D, PCI, GDS, Satisfaction with Life Scale, and Living Arrangement and Indicators of Social Interaction
3.3. Themes from Focus Group Interviews
3.3.1. Time for Self
“One thing you probably made me do is actually take some time to participate in this which is actually taking time for myself, which I would not otherwise have done if I hadn’t been invited.”.(Caregiver, female, 64 years old)
“I tried it (activities) a couple times to do it with my wife. It was harder. I decided for my own self-care, it would make me happier just to try to do it without her as a lone ranger.”.(Caregiver, male, 67 years old)
“It’s helping me to relax my mind and brain when I’m stressed out.”.(Caregiver, male, 35 years old)
3.3.2. Barriers
One (barrier) was just the timing. Also, I struggled with the technology. I happen to have a computer explode on me at the time, certain headphones didn’t work, learning the technology of Zoom… (Care-recipient, female, 49 years old)“Sometimes, I was slow on clicking out of the video, and I would be in a video that I entered through Google Drive, but then it would come up and the next thing would be from YouTube.”.(Caregiver, male, 67 years old)
3.3.3. Learning Opportunities
…I think the meditation exercises, the singalong exercises with the group was definitely helpful… even learning some of the Tai Chi examples…We’re definitely going to try to implement that more into our routine….(Caregiver, female)
“Well, the weekly meeting, as you know, gave me some new ideas to practice or incorporate into my daily life. During my free time, I could bring back the tai chi, maybe on a Saturday just for practice.”.(Caregiver, male, 32 years old)
3.3.4. Quality of Life
“I have a better quality of life. I don’t feel bored throughout the week…I come to this group, I have a good time, learn something new… So, it’s been great for me.”.(Caregiver, male, 32 years old)
“My quality of life has really improved the past few weeks. You know, I’ve been happy lately. I started playing my chess game on pony. It’s fun. It’s cool. I’m less busy.”.(Caregiver, male, 35 years old)
“I feel like all of these types of opportunities make me improve my quality of life.”.(Care-recipient, female, 49 years old)
3.3.5. Social Support
…“Being in community with other people who have the same or similar challenges is really beneficial. It doesn’t matter to me, whether they’re far away, twice my age… I just think there’s a lot to be gained…it helps my quality of life.”(Care-recipient, female, 49 years old)
“To see you and other human beings and the smiling faces. The body language goes a long way. It really did make me feel like I wasn’t as isolated as I had been for the previous 16 months. Thank you all for brightening.”(Caregiver, male, 67 years old)
“I’m with people who understand me better, so I share my pain and joy and maybe a little bit of experience.”(Caregiver, male, 32 years old)
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Variable | Caregiver | Care-Recipient |
---|---|---|
Age in years, median (25–75 percentile; interquartile range) | 56.5 (38.5–67; 28.5) | 71 (65–80; 15) |
Gender, n (%) | Women 8 (66.7) | Women 7 (58.3) |
Men 4 (33.3) | Men 4 (33.3) | |
Nonbinary 0 (0) | Nonbinary 1 (8.3) | |
Race/Ethnicity, n (%) | White 7 (58.3) | White 5 (41.7) |
African American 4 (33.3) | African American 5 (41.7) | |
Latinx 1 (8.3) | Latinx 1 (8.3) | |
Other 0 (0.0) | Other 1 (8.3) | |
Number of hours spent providing care per day, n (%) | 1 to 3 h 1 (8.3) | NA |
3 to 5 h 1 (8.3) | ||
5 to 8 h 1 (8.3) | ||
>8 h 9 (75) | ||
Does the CR live with the CG, n (%) | Yes 7 (58.3) | NA |
No 5 (41.7) | ||
Type of visual impairment of the CR, n (%) | NA | Far sightedness/short sightedness/corrective lenses 3 (25) |
Totally blind in one or both eyes 2 (16.6) | ||
Macular degeneration 2 (16.6) | ||
Color blindness 2 (16.6) | ||
Retinitis Pigmentosa 1 (8.3) | ||
Severe blurred vision 1 (8.3) | ||
Other 1 (8.3) |
List of Interventions | Facilitator(s) | Brief Description of Intervention |
---|---|---|
Tai chi | Tai chi experts; college professors | Introduced participants to various tai chi activities. It included demonstrations by a local tai chi instructor/expert, as well as college professors and research team members with expertise in tai chi as a method of health promotion. |
Yoga, chair yoga, and blind yoga | Yoga instructor; college professors | Introduced participants to various forms of yoga including chair yoga and blind yoga. It included access online yoga instruction/demonstrations. Yoga activities were facilitated by a yoga instructor and college professors who are members of the research team. |
Gardening | Participant/co-facilitator | Detailed information on the practice of growing and cultivating plants, particularly in an indoor-setting. This was facilitated by a participant who also acted as a co-facilitator (i.e. participant-facilitator) for some of the intervention sessions. |
De-stressing techniques | Participant/co-facilitator; college professors | Detailed information and demonstration of various de-stressing techniques, including exercising, maintaining connections with others, learning to take a break, etc. The de-stressing activities were facilitated by a participant-facilitator, as well as college professors who are members of the research team. |
Meditation/safari meditation | Participant/co-facilitator; college professors | Detailed information and demonstration of various meditation techniques. This included a demonstration of “safari meditation” by a college professor (and member of the research team) who had travelled to the safari in Kenya. |
Music/singing | Participant/co-facilitator; college professors | Special musical presentations by a college professor and member of the research team, as well as a participant-facilitator. This also included several sing-along songs. |
Dancing/ballroom dancing | College professor | Special dance presentations by a professor and member of the research team, as well as videos of ballroom dancing. |
Nutrition | Nutrition expert | Presentations focusing on the benefits of proper nutrition and balanced diets. |
Birding | Participant/co-facilitator | Detailed information on birding, including identifying and observing of birds as a recreational activity. This was facilitated by a participant/co-facilitator. |
Numismatics | Participant/co-facilitator | Demonstration and detailed information on coin collection by a participant-facilitator. |
Workshops: packing suitcases for travel, cooking, etc. | Expert in activities for visually impaired adults | Several workshops by a facilitator and expert who is blind. This includes viewing of publicly available videos that were produced by this facilitator. |
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Hazzan, A.A.; Beach, P.; Lieberman, L.J.; Regan, C. Home-Based Pilot Intervention to Improve Quality of Life and Related Outcomes among Unpaid Caregivers and Their Care-Recipients with Visual Impairments. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20, 3867. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20053867
Hazzan AA, Beach P, Lieberman LJ, Regan C. Home-Based Pilot Intervention to Improve Quality of Life and Related Outcomes among Unpaid Caregivers and Their Care-Recipients with Visual Impairments. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2023; 20(5):3867. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20053867
Chicago/Turabian StyleHazzan, Afeez Abiola, Pamela Beach, Lauren J. Lieberman, and Cassidy Regan. 2023. "Home-Based Pilot Intervention to Improve Quality of Life and Related Outcomes among Unpaid Caregivers and Their Care-Recipients with Visual Impairments" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 20, no. 5: 3867. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20053867