Carers Transition Group: A personalised group that reflects the changing needs of spousal dementia carers in transition

Jennifer Allen; Alyssa Rychtarik; Patrick Hartnett

doi:10.1921/gpwk20252191

Authors

Jennifer Allen Department of Applied Social Studies, Maynooth University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4298-2730
Alyssa Rychtarik Grandmother Project
Patrick Hartnett Carew House, St. Vincent’s University Hospital & Health Service Executive https://orcid.org/0009-0007-6656-2419

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1921/gpwk20252191

Keywords:

Dementia, Carers, Long-term Care, Residential Care, Nursing Home, Transition, Groupwork, Social Work, group work

Abstract

Abstract: Spousal dementia carers face loss, ambiguous grief, and guilt during their partners transition into long-term care (LTC) (Gibson et al., 2019). The Carers Transition Group is an effective group intervention for spousal dementia carers who are facing the tumultuous transition of their partners entering LTC. A support needs assessment tool based on the CSNAT (Ewing et al, 2013) was used to identify individual and group carer support needs and assure that group sessions accurately reflect the same. Mutual support with other spousal dementia carers coupled with psychoeducational and psychosocial interventions both inside and outside of group sessions led to overall positive outcomes.

Author Biographies

Jennifer Allen, Department of Applied Social Studies, Maynooth University

Dr Jennifer Allen, PhD, is an Associate Professor in Maynooth University and also a Senior Social Worker, practising in the Mental Health Service for Older Persons, Carew House, St. Vincent’s University Hospital & Health Service Executive, Community Healthcare East. Jennifer has over 15 years’ experience in older person’s mental health. She has a particular interest and teaches in the areas of loss and grief in later life and dementia on both academic and CPD courses. Her doctoral research focused on ‘advance care planning in older person’s mental health’ using participatory action research.

Alyssa Rychtarik, Grandmother Project

Alyssa Rychtarik, MSW (Social Work), MA (Social Gerontology), MA (Social Policy & Administration), is a Social Worker with over 15 years’ experience in the development and evaluation of international community health programmes in Central America, Africa and Italy and social service programmes in the US. Her current focus is on supporting spousal and family carers of PLWD and older adults living with mental health issues and dementia. She is currently working on her PhD in Social Work at Universitat Rovira I Virgili in Spain.

Patrick Hartnett, Carew House, St. Vincent’s University Hospital & Health Service Executive

Pat Hartnett, RNID, RPN, MSc (Dementia Nursing Practice), Graduate Diploma in Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy, Clinical Nurse Specialist (Community Mental Health), Mental Health Service for Older Persons, Carew House, St. Vincent’s University Hospital & Health Service Executive, Community Healthcare East. Pat has 30 years’ experience in the areas of intellectual disability nursing, psychotherapy and mental health nursing. He has a particular interest in the effects of coping for carers of a person living with a dementia. At present, he is supporting service users who are in nursing homes, presenting with mental health issues and dementia.

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