Ae. Mccluskey, Paid attendant carers hold important and unexpected roles which contributeto the lives of people with brain injury, BRAIN INJUR, 14(11), 2000, pp. 943-957
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.