The Co-Care project: research into volunteer-led support for caregivers is looking for end of life care experiences.

This project is supported by the National Council for Palliative Care (NCPC) and Dying Matters. Funded by the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR), researchers from the Faculty of Health Sciences, Southampton University, together with NCPC, are conducting a survey of how volunteers provide support for family caregivers at home. They know that providing effective palliative and end of life care for people at home depends on the work of unpaid family caregivers.

The Co-Care project is building on previous research that suggests that receiving support such as befriending or home visitation may benefit caregivers who are providing care at home. The information from the survey will be used to build a picture of the kind of support that volunteers provide nationally. It will also help the project to understand what is most important to volunteers, family caregivers and managers. Information from the survey will contribute to plans for a larger project to work with volunteers, families, and healthcare professionals to evaluate the benefits of volunteer-led support for family caregivers in the community. Caregivers and people with knowledge or experience of palliative or end of life care are encouraged to help with the survey.

To take part in the survey and for more information please follow this link www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/Co-Care.

Completing the survey should take around 10-15 minutes. Participation is entirely voluntary and any information given will be anonymous (unless you give permission to be contacted) and will be treated confidentially.

More information is available here. Questions about the survey or the Co-Care project should be addressed to Dr Christopher Bailey, Lead Investigator, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southampton at [email protected] or on 0238 059 7861.