Authors (including presenting author) :
Yeung WS (1), Kan CK (1), Cheng PYI(1), Wong YYR (2), Cheng MLV (2), Tse Samson (3), Chan SK(4), Lee Eunice(4), Lok Kitty(4)
Affiliation :
(1) Department of Psychiatry, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital
(2) Community & Patient Resource Department, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital
(3) Faulty of Social Science, The University of Hong Kong
(4) Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service
Introduction :
It is understandable that carers’ stress was significant but not addressed in Hospital Authority Service. Many literature review stated that high level of caring stress may cause another mental illness sufferer. The N2R project was designed to support stressful carers through medical social collaboration during Sept 2019-Dec 2020.
Objectives :
1.To build up carers’ resilience by increasing their capacities of caregiving through educational talks and empowering them through establishing carer peer support networks.
2.To evaluate a medical social collaboration model of supporting family caregivers of beloved ones with mental illness.
Methodology :
1.Referrals by Department of Psychiatry (wards, Out-Patient Clinic and Community Psychiatric Support Team) and self-referrals
2.Project includes:
Part I: Carer Empowerment by talks, telephone concerns and community resources
navigation in which peer support is highlighted.
Part II: “Carer Peer Support Training” to train experienced carers to be lay
leader.
3.Pre & Post study to evaluate the project’s effectiveness by (1) Kessler Psychological Distress Scale; (2) Telephone interview.
Result & Outcome :
1.30 out of 37 caregivers participated in the post study. Small sample size but the study provided useful pilot data for service development of carers.
2.Compared to the initial stage of the project, there has been an increase of 11.4% in meeting caregivers’ needs.
3.Although with an average of 10 years of caring experience, 35% of caregivers could not articulate their needs and 65% could not name who were supporting them.
4.Dichotomy opinion on carers’ caregiving journey: Some experienced stigma and stress, while some regarded this as an achievement.
5.The project was suspended due to HAERL (Covid-19) since Jan 2020. However, PRC social worker used WhatsApp and telephone call to engage & support the carers.
6.The result was reported in the two webinars for HKEC clinical staff, NGOs, GPs and patient association on 21/1/2021 & 26/10/2021 respectively.
