Health equity and wellbeing among older people's caregivers in New Zealand during COVID-19: Protocol for a qualitative study.
Vanessa Burholt, Deborah Balmer, Rosemary Frey, Pare Meha, John Parsons, Mary Roberts, Mary Louisa Simpson, Janine Wiles, Moema Gregorzewski, Teuila Percival, Rangimahora Reddy
Author Information
Vanessa Burholt: School of Nursing, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Grafton, Auckland, New Zealand. ORCID
Deborah Balmer: School of Nursing, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Grafton, Auckland, New Zealand.
Rosemary Frey: School of Nursing, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Grafton, Auckland, New Zealand. ORCID
Pare Meha: Rauawaawa Kaumātua Charitable Trust, Hamilton, Waikato, New Zealand.
John Parsons: School of Nursing, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Grafton, Auckland, New Zealand.
Mary Roberts: Moana Research, Māngere, Auckland, New Zealand.
Mary Louisa Simpson: Waikato Management School, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand.
Janine Wiles: School of Population Health, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Grafton, Auckland, New Zealand.
Moema Gregorzewski: Centre for Arts and Social Transformation, Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of Auckland, Epsom, Auckland, New Zealand.
Teuila Percival: Moana Research, Māngere, Auckland, New Zealand.
Rangimahora Reddy: Rauawaawa Kaumātua Charitable Trust, Hamilton, Waikato, New Zealand.
BACKGROUND: Knowledge of the challenges unpaid caregivers faced providing care to older people during the COVID-19 pandemic is limited. Challenges may be especially pronounced for those experiencing inequitable access to health and social care. This participatory action research study, located in New Zealand, has four main objectives, (i) to understand the challenges and rewards associated with caregiving to older care recipients during the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions; (ii) to map and collate resources developed (or mobilised) by organisations during the pandemic; (iii) to co-produce policy recommendations, identify useful caregiver resources and practices, prioritise unmet needs (challenges); and, (iv) to use project results in knowledge translation, in order to improve caregivers access to resources, and raise the profile and recognition of caregivers contribution to society. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Māori, Pacific and rural-dwelling caregivers to 30 older care-recipients, and 30 representatives from organisations supporting caregivers in New Zealand will be interviewed. Combining data from the interviews and caregivers letters (from an archive of older people's pandemic experiences), framework analysis will be used to examine the interrelated systems of the human ecological model and the impact on caregiving experiences during the pandemic. Resources that service providers had created or used for caregivers and older people will be collated and categorised. Through co-production with caregivers and community partners we will produce three short films describing caregivers' pandemic experiences; identify a suite of resources for caregivers to use in future events requiring self-isolation, and in everyday life; and generate ideas to address unresolved issues.
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