The coordination practices of family caregivers as part of the healthcare pathway for people with disabilities: an exploratory study

Abstract

In France, it is estimated that more than 9 million family carers provide regular assistance to a disabled relative. Although considered essential to the coordination of health care, few studies have examined the coordination practices of family caregivers. In the light of the  practice approach to coordination and theories of practice, this exploratory study seeks to enrich the literature by identifying the coordination practices of family carers in the context  of the healthcare pathway for people with disabilities. The initial results obtained enable us to identify and detail the components of coordination practices previously identified in the  literature: supervision, communication and mediation practices. The research also highlights the emergence of reflexive coordination practices. Our field results thus underline the importance of the coordination practices developed by the family carer as part of the health care pathway of the disabled person.