Coping with Caregiving among Primary Family Caregivers of Older Adults with Serious Medical Illness: A Cross-cultural Examination (LONGCROSSCARE) - Completed
01.06.2024 - 30.11.2025
General Overview
LONGCROSSCARE conducted cross-cultural research to understand the challenges and coping strategies among primary family caregivers of older adults with serious illnesses. The project aimed to discover whether knowledge of care support sources and preparation for increasing caregiving demands can help family caregivers cope with ongoing challenges, therefore supporting quality of life during caregiving and beyond.
Purpose and Significance
Providing care for the global ageing population has become a public health concern. Families of older adults frequently serve as primary caregivers due to a combination of personal choice, cultural obligations, or insufficient access to community resources. The majority of these responsibilities disproportionately fall on women. How caregivers cope with these challenges can significantly affect the overall quality of life of both the older adult and the caregiver.
The project aligns with EUniWell’s Arena "Health and Well-being," as the primary focus is on achieving an optimal quality of life for both older adults and caregivers.
© Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
Implementation Method and Timeline
A mixed-methods design study was carried out within this project: a quantitative questionnaire for primary family caregivers and qualitative interviews with a subsample of those who participated in the quantitative survey and volunteered for further interviews.
Under the coordination of the University of Murcia, four EUniWell partners participated in this project: the University of Cologne, the University of Florence, the University of Santiago de Compostela, and the University of Birmingham. Additionally, the University of Alabama iparticipated as an Associated Partner. LONGCROSSCARE contributed to the establishment of inter- and transdisciplinary studies and teams focused on well-being and with an inclusive design, involving faculty, students, professionals, older adults, and family caregivers from various regions of Europe, as well as Alabama and Colombia, thereby maximising cultural diversity.
Outcomes
The project successfully collected data from 110 participants across various sites, including Birmingham, Florence, Santiago de Compostela, Alabama, and Murcia. The project resulted in several conference presentations and, at the time of completion, three papers were being prepared for publication, with plans for further dissemination and additional conferences. Future plans include continuing collaboration with some partners in a new seed funding project and potentially applying for a long-term European Union project to extend the research.
