CALM - Caring and Life Management Study (CALM) is a newly developed assessment and support intervention for carers.

The Carer And Life Management (CALM) study aims to evaluate how effective this intervention is in meeting carers' support needs. At present it is being evaluated for carers of people diagnosed with Schizophrenia. If the intervention proves to be effective in meeting this group of carers' support needs then it will be made available to other carers as well.

A pilot study in 1999-2001 developed a training programme and a model of support intervention; the CALM study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of this training programme and the model in practice.

Meeting the needs of carers of people diagnosed with schizophrenia: A study of a nurse support intervention.

Caring for a person diagnosed with schizophrenia can be extremely rewarding. However, it can also be stressful. Many carers manage this situation by compromising their own social, economic and health needs. Professionals now acknowledge that carers may need support to continue caring in a way that does not compromise their own needs. However, the best way to provide this support remains unclear.

Study Aims:

To determine the effect of this intervention in:

• Meeting carers' needs
• Reducing the burden on carers
• Increasing the carers' satisfaction

CALM study participants and other interested parties can use this website to:

• read the details of the study: background, what the study involves, timetable, researchers and funding
• keep up to date with the progress of the study
• contact those who are conducting the study
• find links to related organisations and sources of support for carers

The study is jointly managed by the University of Dundee and the National Schizophrenia Fellowship (Scotland) and is funded by the big lottery fund .

References

Gall, S., Elliott, L., Atkinson, J., & Johanser, R. (2001) Training nurses to support carers of relatives with schizophrenia.. British Journal of Nursing, Vol 10, No 4.

Gall, S., Atkinson, J., Elliott, L., & Johansen, R. (2003) Supporting carers of people diagnosed with schizophrenia: evaluating change in nursing practice following training. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 41 (3), 295-305.