Remote, online meetings for carers
Description:
During the pandemic, meetings for young adults (aged 14-25) with psychosis sought to move to an online format, but many opted to continue with face-to-face support. Among some of their carers/family members, an online carers' support group was more accessible to attend than the previous in-person meetings had been. However, some carers who had previously attended in-person did not use the online meetings, possibly due to privacy issues at home, or not being confident using technology.
Barriers:
Patients were not confident their privacy was being protected, for example, they worried that the meeting was being recorded without their knowledge. The assumed digital competency of many young people was not sufficient to overcome their concerns about an online meeting format. Privacy and technology issues may have discouraged some carers from joining an online carers' support group.
Enablers:
Some carers of young patients with psychosis who had access to the internet and a suitable device were able to attend online support sessions that they had not been able to attend in-person.
Outcomes for patient:
While young adults with psychosis preferred to meet in-person, some of their carers and family members benefitted from being able to attend remote carer support sessions and gain expert advice. A carer support and education programme is being created that will be available as an online resource.
Organisations:
- Mental Health Clinical Board (Wales)
Units/Services:
- Early Intervention Psychosis service