Family Carers: The Power of Life Story Books

Wills, T. & Day, M.R.“Your Memories Matter”

Belfast,CARDI

17th February 2010

Objectives

• Background

• Methodology

• Findings

• Conclusion

Life Story Book

• Biographical approaches used in health and social care setting that gives people time to tell their story and talk about their life experiences.(McKeown, Clarke & Repper, 2006).

Life Story Book

• Biographical approaches used in health and social care setting that gives people time to tell their story and talk about their life experiences.(McKeown, Clarke & Repper, 2006).

Aim of Study

Aim:

• To gain insight into the use of life story books for family carers.

Methodology

• Research Design: Qualitative Exploratory study.

• Ethical Approval: Granted by Ethics Committee.

• Sample: Family Carers (N=9).• Intervention: Attendance at 6 weekly

workshops.• Completed Life Story Books: (n=8) • Data Collection: Focus Group.• Data Analysis: Thematic content analysis

as described by Burnard (1991).

THEMESTHEMES

Caring

Value of Life Story Books

Relationships & Connectivity

Seeing and Understanding the Person

Benefits of Life Story Books

Unique/Meaningful gift

Therapeutic

Relationships &Connectivity

Understanding&

Meaning

Identity&

Belonginess

Creativity

Supportive

Person

LifeStoryBooks

Conclusion

• Life story Books are important and underutilised in practice.

• Family carers have a key role to play in their development.

AcknowledgementWe wish to thank family carers for participating in the project.

Contact Details

• Mary Rose Day

• 021-4901473

• mrday@ucc.ie

• Teresa Wills

• 021-4901472

• t.wills@ucc.ie