Primary Support Persons for Individuals Who Are Visually Impaired: Who They Are and the Support They Provide

Autor/inn/en	Silva-Smith, Amy L.; Theune, Thomas W.; Spaid, Penny E.
Titel	Primary Support Persons for Individuals Who Are Visually Impaired: Who They Are and the Support They Provide
Quelle	In: Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 101 (2007) 2, S.113-118 (10 Seiten) PDF als Volltext (1); PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei (2) Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0145-482X
Schlagwörter	Visual Impairments; Caregivers; Older Adults; Ophthalmology; Diseases; Aging (Individuals); Caregiver Attitudes; Homemaking Skills; Self Esteem; Caregiver Role; Anxiety + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Visual handicap; Sehbehinderung; Caregiver; Carer; Betreuungsperson; Pfleger; Älterer Erwachsener; Augenheilkunde; Disease; Krankheit; Aging; Altern; Self-esteem; Selbstaufmerksamkeit; Angst
Abstract	As the proportion of older adults in the U.S. population grows, the prevalence of visual impairment related to cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy will increase as well. Individuals who are visually impaired require various degrees of support and assistance in their daily activities. This assistance is frequently provided by a "primary support person," who may be a family member or friend who assists with all day-to-day activities. In this study, a consecutive sample of 28 adults who reported being the primary support persons for individuals who were visually impaired was recruited through a low vision services clinic. The main support activities provided by the primary support persons included instrumental support, such as transportation, help with administrative tasks, and shopping and meal preparation. There has been little research on the individuals who provide primary support to persons who are visually impaired, so it is not clear whether these caregivers feel a sense of strain or feel burdened by their role. The study reported here sought to provide some preliminary data on the experiences of primary support persons of individuals who are visually impaired. The resulting scores on the administered Caregiver Research Assessment (CRA) indicated that, as an aggregate, the participants were feeling mild burden or strain in their role; however, they also had a fairly high level of self-esteem in their role. (ERIC).
Anmerkungen	American Foundation for the Blind. 11 Penn Plaza Suite 300, New York, NY 10001. Tel: 800-232-5463; Tel: 212-502-7600; e-mail: afbinfo@afb.net; Web site: http://www.afb.org/store
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10