A Faith Community Nursing Intervention for Informal Caregiver

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to test the impact of embedding trained Faith Community Nurse (FCN) interventionists in a Catholic Health System affiliated primary care practice as liaisons of care in the homes of older adult clients (OACs) and their informal caregiver (IC). Specific aims were to examine if a FCN intervention improved IC and OAC health, well-being, knowledge and understanding of chronic disease management, self-advocacy, and self-care. A non-random quasi-experimental design was used. Most ICs were spouses or adult children (M age = 66) who lived with the older adult (M age = 79). The ICs’ scores significantly increased after the intervention on the Preparedness for Caregiving Scale (p = .002), Spirituality as Life, Meaning, and purpose (p = .026), and Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale (p = .005). Future research is needed examining the FCN intervention with larger sample sizes in more diverse communities and acute care settings.

Keywords

Faith Community Nursing caregiving older adult community based care primary care

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A Faith Community Nursing Intervention for Informal Caregiver–Older Adult Dyads

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Keywords

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