Abstract

DIAZ-ALVAREZ, Juan Carlos  and  ROJAS-MARTINEZ, María Victoria. Caring for the Caregiver: Effects of an Educational Program. Aquichan [online]. 2009, vol.9, n.1, pp.73-92. ISSN 1657-5997.

This study examines the results of a 12-month research project entitled Effects of the ‘Caring for Caregivers’ ¨Program on a Group of Family Caregivers in the Cities of Girardot and Flandes in Association with the University of Cundinamarca. Objective: Assess the effectiveness of the aforementioned program, which was conducted by the National University of Colombia for family caregivers of chronically ill persons in the aforementioned cities in the Departments of Cundinamarca and Tolima (Colombia). Method: The Care Ability Inventory (CAI) proposed by Ngozi O. Nkongho was applied as a pre and post-test. The study is quasi-experimental and involved 72 family caregivers distributed into two groups: a control group made up of 35 persons and an experimental group of 37 caregivers. Results: The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of the program in helping the experimental group to develop know-how and patience. The value aspect remained unchanged in both the control group and the experimental group, which indicates the program was not effective in terms of increasing value as a dimension of care.

Keywords : Care ability; family caregivers; chronic illness.

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