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Background: Family caregivers of people at the end of life can face significant financial burden. While appropriate financial support can reduce the burden for family caregivers, little is known about the range and adequacy of financial support, welfare and benefits for family caregivers across countries with similarly developed health care systems. Aim: The aim is o identify and compare sources of financial support for family caregivers of people approaching the end of life, across six countries with similarly performing health care systems (Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States). Design: A survey of financial support, welfare and benefits for end of life family caregivers was completed by 99 palliative care experts from the six countries. Grey literature searches and academic database searches were also conducted. Comparative analyses of all data sources documented financial support within and between each country. Results: Some form of financial support for family caregivers is available in all six countries; however the type, extent and reach of support vary. Financial support is administered by multiple agencies, eligibility criteria for receiving support are numerous and complex, and there is considerable inequity in the provision of support. Conclusion: Numerous barriers exist to the receipt of financial support, welfare and benefits. We identified several areas of concern, including a lack of clarity around eligibility, inconsistent implementation, complexity in process and limited support for working carers. Nonetheless, there is significant potential for policymakers to learn from other countries' experiences, particularly with regard to the scope and operationalisation of financial support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Occupation-focused models are one method of integrating occupation into occupational therapy education programmes. They offer a theoretical basis for practice by providing explanations about the process and practice of the profession. Method: This exploratory study used a quantitative research framework to investigate which occupation-focused models are included in occupational therapy programmes, the rationale for their inclusion and how the models are integrated into curricula. A survey was sent to 193 occupational therapy programmes in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States. Results: The response rate was 33.8% (n = 65). The data showed that each programme included between 3 and 10 occupation-focused models. The Canadian Model of Occupational Performance and Engagement and the Model of Human Occupation were included in 98.5% of all curricula surveyed. Conclusion: The educators used a multilayered decision-making process to determine which occupation-focused models to include in a curriculum. The instructional methods varied, but most programmes used practice placement education as a teaching strategy. Further research is required into how curriculum design influences a practitioner's future use of occupation-focused models in practice. A better understanding is needed of how professional practice education affects students' values and attitudes towards the use of occupation-focused models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]