Strategies for Empowering and Supporting Caregivers of Persons with Spinal Cord Injury

Abstract

          A severe spinal cord injury is often a patient who cannot help oneself and a chronic patient which must be maintained all the time. Family caregivers must provide continuity of care when the patient is discharged from the hospital. The burdens of caregivers may include not only physical tasks but also emotional demands. At the same time, caregivers must balance caregivers with their own life activities. If caregivers have insufficient ability to handle such situations will affecting the ability to care for patients and the lifestyle of caregivers. For this reason, empowering caregivers therefore it is necessary for support ability to care for patients effectively. Nurses can support caregivers for management ability and mastery in managing their own life situations. Nurses can empower by using eleven strategies for the empowerment including creating an appropriate atmosphere and environment; establishing and maintaining a good relationship; respecting individuals; reflective questioning; supporting knowledge and information; offering possible alternative options; counseling; offering the example of best practices; training for new caring tasks; providing positive feedback; and summarizing the key issues. These strategies will encourage caregivers to have their own power, can care for patients effectively and have a better quality of life.