VON Canada

1. VON Canada Assessing and Responding to Needs – Tools and Interventions Module 5 Learning to Listen  Listening to Learn Module 5 – Assessing and Responding to Needs

2. Learning Objectives • To explore the needs and context of caregivers that need to be taken into consideration during assessment. • To expand on how assessment can support a partnership approach with caregivers. • To present a model for assessing and responding to caregiver needs. Learning to Listen  Listening to Learn Module 5 – Assessing and Responding to Needs

3. Tool Assessment Categories • The profile of the caregiver; • Description of the caregiving work and support received; • Caregiver’s relationship to formal services; • Juggling responsibilities; • Financial costs of caregiving; • Personal health; • Caregiver – care receiver, family relationships; and • Planning issues, crises, and the future. (Developed by Guberman et al, 2001) Learning to Listen  Listening to Learn Module 5 – Assessing and Responding to Needs

4. Factors Influencing Intervention Strategy “Many factors will influence the intervention strategy including the caregiver and care receiver characteristics, resources available and accessible in the family and community, and the perception quality and usefulness of the intervention by the caregiver.” (Rudin, 1994) Learning to Listen  Listening to Learn Module 5 – Assessing and Responding to Needs

5. Responding to Caregivers’ Needs This model, developed by the Caregiver Best Practice Team, illustrates a thermometer as a gauge or assessment tool used to identify the needs, service preferences, and outcomes. The temperature of the thermometer can be influenced by a variety of internal and external factors including: • Health of the caregiver • Caregiver – care receiver relationship • Family dynamics • Caregiver – provider relationship • Branch services • Social-political context of home and community care Learning to Listen  Listening to Learn Module 5 – Assessing and Responding to Needs

6. Responding to Caregivers’ Needs Learning to Listen  Listening to Learn Module 5 – Assessing and Responding to Needs

7. Caregiver Needs • To be fully informed • To be recognized and have their own needs, including health needs, taken into account • Quality services • Opportunities for a break • Emotional Support • Training and support to care • Financial security • A voice (Banks and Cheeseman, 1998) Learning to Listen  Listening to Learn Module 5 – Assessing and Responding to Needs

8. Caregiver Best Practice Team’s Interventions Goal “Interventions need to be multi-faceted and multi-layered to address the whole context of the caregiving situation. They should target a variety of populations including the caregiver, care receiver, provider, program, Branch, community, and health care system. Interventions should provide support for direct intervention, community development, and advocacy.” Learning to Listen  Listening to Learn Module 5 – Assessing and Responding to Needs

9. Concluding Comments • “Supporting Caregivers and care receivers in their efforts to communicate about the care situation and their respective needs may mitigate some of the factors associated with poor caregiver outcomes.” (Lyons et al, 2002) • Providers use needs assessment tools to conduct a purposive conversation to uncover the hidden needs of clients, to attempt to gain insight into the complexities in the lives of clients, and to plan for support accordingly. Learning to Listen  Listening to Learn Module 5 – Assessing and Responding to Needs