A pilot of the InterRAI Family Carers Needs Assessment form in Ireland

BACKGROUND: The health impact of providing informal care in Ireland is significant. Over ten years (2009-2019) among carers in Ireland poor health increased by 24%, depression increased by 70%, those experiencing anxiety rose by 26%. Access to respite services decreased from 57% to 29% with less support being provided in 2019 from GPs, PHNs and care workers than in 2010 (Family Carers Ireland, College of Psychiatrists of Ireland & UCD, 2019). InterRAI have developed a module to assess the needs of family carers (FCNA) and is being tested across a number of countries, including the West of Ireland. This assessment is conducted with the needs assessment on the person applying for services. METHODS: The FCNA was collected at 2 time points, baseline and 6 month follow-up. At baseline, carer preferences for services was obtained and, within current service capacity, carers were referred to their specified service. The FCNA captures demographics, mood, cognition, social needs, function, general health, carer characteristics, caregiver experience, supports for the carer and those in place for the care recipient. Regression analysis is carried out to estimate the effect of service provision on health outcomes over the period. RESULTS: 62 completed FCNAs were obtained for the two periods from family carers across five care groups: carers of: older persons, person with dementia, person with mental health difficulties, person with physical and sensory difficulties and a person with an intellectual disability. At baseline, 51% of carers felt too exhausted to carry out normal day-to-day activities on a regular basis, 52% feel little interest or pleasure on an ongoing basis, 67% feel anxious, restless or uneasy and 67% indicated that they experienced major life stresses in the last 90 days. CONCLUSIONS: The HSE can objectively identify and assess family carer need across all care groups to inform resource allocation, policy decision-making, service planning and service provision. KEY MESSAGES: • Standardised informal carer needs assessment leads to better understanding of issues faced by carers. • Increased understanding of the service requirements of informal carers to support them in their roles to inform resource allocation, policy decision-making, service planning and service provision.