Paid attendant carers hold important and unexpected roles which contributeto the lives of people with brain injury

Objective: Paid attendant carers spend many hours assisting people with a b rain injury. Despite this considerable responsibility, most carers receive little support or training and their roles are often ill-defined. This expl oratory study set out to define the key roles of paid carers. Method: Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted. Perspectives were so ught from 10 participants: five people with a traumatic brain injury and fi ve paid carers. A computer software package, NUD*IST was used during analys is to help identify and categorize commonly recurring themes. Results: Five major roles were identified: Attendant, Protector, Friend, Co ach and Negotiator. Friendship was the most important aspect of the care re lationship for three of the people with a brain injury, most of whom had lo st their pre-injury friends and associates. Carers were required to negotia te frequently with clients and their families, and with other service provi ders. Sound communication skills were required. Conclusion: In addition to further research, industry guidelines are requir ed which take account of the wider suite of roles fulfilled by paid carers, address training and support needs, and occupational health and safety iss ues.