Psychoeducation As An Intervention For The Caregiver
Schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorders, dementias, and other chronic or degenerative diseases require an intervention in which it is difficult to help those who suffer from it without helping their loved ones at the same time. Thus, one of the interventions that produces the best results, both for the patient and for those around him, is psychoeducation.
Indeed, much of the burden of the intervention falls on the family. In many cases, only one caregiver is involved. Studies indicate that 75% of the dependent person’s needs are met by the family or the social environment. This, added to the chronicity and duration of this type of disease, can work against the caregiver and, by extension, the patient.
The problem of care: overload
Although the caregiver perceives her role to be necessary and desired, this results in a series of changes in her life that can pose a risk to her physical and mental health. The latter is generally not aware of the overload that this implies. Psychoeducation would help precisely to alleviate this overload.
This overload is a complex concept which refers to the difficulties that arise in the care of the patient. It could be summarized as follows:
- The impact of the care relationship on the caregiver and the family member.
- All the physical, psychosocial and economic problems that the caregiver has to face.
- The subjective experience, modified by the conditions of care and the characteristics of the caregiver.
Psychosocial intervention: psychoeducation
The importance of carrying out a psychosocial intervention with families and, above all, with the main caregiver has been emphasized in recent years. the burden of care.
It is therefore, through structured programs, to equip the caregiver with skills and knowledge to cope with care and take better care of themselves. Psychoeducation stands out among psychosocial interventions.
One or more professionals normally lead this type of intervention. The duration is temporarily limited – from 7 to 15 sessions -, with a weekly or bimonthly frequency. This gives the caregiver the time needed to practice the content between sessions.
The duration of each session would vary between 1 or 2 hours. They usually take place in groups and can be supplemented by sessions or individual consultations.
The main objective of this type of intervention is to reduce the ill-being of the caregiver by teaching him self-management strategies and skills beyond his role of caregiver. Caregivers will learn to better cope with situations that arise during care. They will also have a space for discussion and emotional support.
A program focused on psychoeducation will involve working in three sections. We present them below.
Education against disease
Provide caregivers with theoretical knowledge enabling them to understand the relationship between addiction, disease and behavior. They will thus understand some of the behaviors not as personal factors or as the “bad idea” of the patient, but as a consequence of the disease.
Appren dre take better care of the sick
It is about learning skills to better cope with difficult care situations and thus reduce the frequency of dysfunctional behaviors. For example: like working on communication with the family member or strategies.
It is also a question of knowing how to manage the physical and social environment. And this, by learning to distinguish and eliminate barriers or difficulties in the patient’s physical and family environment.
Caring for the caregiver
The objective is to improve the well-being of the caregiver thanks to certain techniques and contents. For example: emotional management and relief techniques, problem solving, training in enjoyable activities, learning relaxation techniques and assertiveness.
The effectiveness of psychoeducation
Current studies have shown that the effectiveness of these interventions is relative due to methodological issues. The latter make it difficult to obtain solid evidence. There is a need for further research to overcome the current limitations.
It was nevertheless perceived that psychoeducational programs would have psychological benefits for caregivers and, by extension, for people treated. They would affect the onset of dysfunctional behaviors derived from the disease, thus delaying institutionalization.
Our thoughts Usually, caring for another person sometimes requires a good deal of patience.
