Family Caregivers and the Advanced Aide Role

The Eldercare Workforce Alliance (EWA) is working to identify ways in which an “advanced” home health care worker could potentially fill in gaps in care and support individuals, their family caregivers, and other members of the care team. An “Advanced Aide” would be someone who, with additional training and supervision, could provide care that is missing or inefficient. We are hoping to get your perspective as a family caregiver on how an “Advanced Aide” could best be utilized to care for your loved one.

We define the care team as health care professionals (physicians, nurses, social workers, pharmacists, physical therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, etc…), including direct care workers, and family caregivers. When we talk about direct care workers, we are referring to individuals who provide hands on care such as helping care recipients bathe, dress, eat, and perform other daily tasks. These individuals are often in positions such as Personal Care Attendants, Home Health Aides, Nursing Aides and Attendants, and Home Care Workers. This survey is designed to find out from you, as a family caregiver, how a direct care worker with additional training and supervision may be able to help improve quality of care.

Question Title

* 1. Do you provide care (hands on care, coordinate care, support) to a family member(s) or friend(s) who is over 65 years old? For the purpose of this survey, we will call this person the “care recipient” from here on out.

Yes

Comments

Question Title

* 2. Does a direct care worker (home health aide, home care worker, or personal care assistant) currently provide care to the care recipient?

Yes

Comments

Question Title

* 3. If yes, please describe the reason for the direct care worker’s involvement (check all that apply):

You or another family caregiver lives with the care recipient but the direct care worker provides care when you need to work or leave the home

The care recipient lives alone and needs care when you or another family caregiver is not there

The direct care worker provides care that you or another family caregiver cannot do on your own

The direct care worker provides help to you or another family caregiver

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 4. Are there any care related tasks that you would like to have help with regarding the care recipient, but that the direct care worker is unable to perform?

Yes

Comments

Question Title

* 5. If yes, check off or write in all of the following tasks which you feel could be beneficial to have a direct care worker perform:

Provide information to the care recipient about managing their own health

Help coordinate communication with other members of the care team

Promote healthy activities and nutrition

Assist in coordinating care amongst care team members, including you as a family caregiver

Help to identify community resources, activities, and supportive services

Assist with coordinating medical appointments and/or navigating health coverage

Assist with exercises as prescribed by a physical or occupational therapist or a physician

Administer medication

Administer insulin

Help provide wound care

Communicate any changes in function or health to other care team members

Communicate any signs of mental health issues she or he observes to other care team members

Provide disease specific care (such as that for diabetes or heart disease)

Provide care for individuals with dementia

Provide resources and training about dementia to you or other family caregivers

Provide comfort care, known as palliative care, at the end of life to assure quality of life, and serve as a resource to you and other family caregivers

Communicate any signs of readiness for end of life care and/or palliative care to other team members

Provide care that is culturally-competent, respecting the care recipient’s language, ethnicity, cultures, health beliefs, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, and geographical location.

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 6. Are there any tasks that you perform as a family caregiver for which you would like additional training? If so, what are they?

Yes

Comments

Question Title

* 7. As a family caregiver, are there any tasks that you perform that you would rather have performed by a direct care worker? If so, what are they?

Yes

Comments

Question Title

* 8. Do you have any additional thoughts you would like to share?

Question Title

* 9. What state do you live in?

State: