Perceptions on Connecting Respite Care Volunteers and Caregivers.

The most common requirement for informal caregivers is to experience a respite or temporary break from their caregiving routine. Some initiatives have been undertaken to provide respite care through volunteer providers. We report on a qualitative study carried out in Santiago, Chile, to learn about the willingness of potential volunteers to provide respite care for bedridden older persons, as well as their willingness to use information and communication technologies (ICT) to connect to caregivers in a low-income neighbourhood within their own geographic district.

Living with Chronic Pain: A Qualitative Study of the Daily Life of Older People with Chronic Pain in Chile.

One of the main causes of chronic pain in older people is spine deformity, an abnormal curvature of the spine. The purpose of this study is to improve understanding of the experience of chronic pain produced by spinal deformity in older people and understand how cultural factors may affect this experience. A qualitative study was performed with 10 older people.

Perceptions on technology for volunteer respite care for bedridden elders in Chile.

Purpose:  Informal caregivers of bedridden elders need a respite. One form of obtaining a respite is through volunteers who are contacted by means of information and communication technology (ICT).

Method:  A qualitative study was carried out in a low-income district in Santiago, Chile, to learn about how caregivers of bedridden elders perceive the possibility of using ICT to access this respite.