Addressing the needs of caregivers: Self-reported practices of occupational therapists in the U.S.

Objective: To investigate the (1) the attitudes of occupational therapists regarding caregiver training for the informal caregivers of people who experienced a stroke, (2) strategies for assessment of caregivers, (3) content of caregiver training and education (CTE) sessions, and (4) barriers and supports therapists experience in addressing the needs of caregivers. Method: Responses to a novel survey by 73 registered occupational therapists (31 % response rate) who treated adult clients with stroke in the past year were compiled. Descriptive statistics were calculated to analyze the attitudes and practices of the respondents. Chi-square cross-tabulations were utilized in data analysis. Results: Top needs respondents reported caregivers claiming included lack of experience in care skills for ADL tasks and feeling overwhelmed. The type of need most typically addressed by respondents was the lack of experience in care skills for ADL tasks (95%). More consistency of responses was found for therapists considering clients with physical deficits compared to responses when considering clients with cognitive deficits. Barriers impeding provision at CTE were a perceived lack of attendance at CTE sessions by the caregiver, a lack of motivation in th