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Grief, Relief & Everything in Between: Improving spousal support during the transition from hospital to Nursing Home care. Aoife Molloy Senior clinical social work practitioner Research student, MSc loss & bereavement. Aims & Objectives. Establish Action Research Team
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Grief, Relief & Everything in Between: Improving spousal support during the transition from hospital to Nursing Home care Aoife Molloy Senior clinical social work practitioner Research student, MSc loss & bereavement
Aims & Objectives • Establish Action Research Team • Development of support booklet • Feedback and evaluation from spouses To improve the emotional support offered to spouses during their loved ones’ transition from hospital to nursing home care
Action Research • “an emergent inquiry process…simultaneously concerned with bringing about change in organisations…and adding to scientific knowledge” (Coghlan& Brannick, 2014) • Research “in action” as opposed to research “about action” (Coghlan & Shani, 2018) • Collaborative & participatory approach
The Story • AR involves a process of moving through cyclical, sequential phases in order to capture the process. • Cycles of action and reflection • September – December 2018: Constructing • January – March 2019: Planning/taking action • April – June 2019: Evaluating action
Findings – The Transition • Loss: • “ Huge feelings of loss and guilt; why could I not keep my husband at home like other women?” • “This home we had made together for 40 years, what was it all for?” • Pressure: • “I found the pressure from some hospital staff difficult” • “I felt threatened that if my husband was not brought immediately, the bed would be given to another man” • Loneliness: • “Even a short visit would be a great help…I really appreciate the small number of visitors that still come” • “The problem is I live alone…it became difficult to socialise”
Findings – The Booklet • Increased sense of support: • “It would have been a great help, it answers questions about the move, the change in my role and what to expect” • Heightened awareness of feelings: • “You are so drained with the actual transition of your spouse that you are numb to your own emotions and feelings. The booklet alerts you” • “All I knew at the time was that I was devastated. Reading the booklet would have helped me put a name on what I was feeling” • Recommendations: • “More details about the effect on your lifestyle” • Expand booklet to include adult children/extended family members
Next Steps • Further collaboration with AR team to review and amend booklet • Organisational approval to implement booklet • Funding
Conclusion • Spouses experience feelings of loss upon relinquishing care of their loved one to formal NH care. • Spouses need to be emotionally supported during this transition, rather than being assisted only with paperwork. • The provision of the booklet would have increased sense of support at this time.
References • Coughlan, D. & Brannick, T., 2014. Doing action research in your own organisation. 4th ed. London: Sage. • Coghlan, D. & Shani, A. B. (Rami)., 2018. Conducting Action Research for Business and Management Studies. London: SAGE Publications Ltd.