Table 1 Characteristics of the 23 studies included in the review

Barken & Lowndes, 2018, Canada [32]

To identify practices and conditions that promotthe dignity and respect of workers, residents, and unpaid carers

149 unpaid carers of residents in long term care

Qualitative study, using rapid ethnography

Challenges in various stages of long term residential care

Bleijlevens et al., 2015, Holland [40]

Determine how transition to RACF affects caregiver burden and health related QoL

109 carers of people with dementia

Prospective cohort study with 3 m follow up

Burden - ZBI and caregiver reaction assessment (CRA) HR QOL - EQ-5D

Bramble et al., 2009, Australia [12]

Examine the emotional challenge and new roles of carers after transition

Ten carers of people with dementia

Qualitative study with semi structured interviews

Experiences of family caregivers who have placed a relative with dementia into long term care

Crawford et al., 2015, Australia [18]

To explore caregiver experiences during transition

20 unpaid carers (between 34 and 92 years old) of people with dementia

Qualitative study with semi structured interviews

Carer roles; experience of carers; factors that affected the coping of carers

Davies & Nolan, 2006, UK [20]

Understand the contribution of family carers to life within the home

37 close relative of people admitted to a nursing home

Qualitative study with Semi structured interviews

Roles of carers in RACF

Davison et al., 2019, Australia [23]

Explore the views of residents with dementia, families of residents with dementia and facility staff on enablers and barriers to successful adjustment to RACF

38 carers of people with dementia

Qualitative study with semi- structured interviews

Experiences from the point of view of residents, their families and staff

Eika et al., 2014, Norway [16]

To understand the experiences of carers during the transition of their family members to nursing homes

Ten next-of-kin of recently admitted residents

Qualitative study with semi- structured interviews

Experience on admission day Experience in initial period after placement

Gaugler et al. 2007, USA [43]

Identify long term effects on caregivers of PwD whom move to RACF

146 caregivers of patients diagnosed with dementia, with at least 2 years of post placement data; 38 caregivers of patients diagnosed with dementia, with 5 years of post placement data

Longitudinal cohort study based on data from the caregiver stress and coping study

Stress; global well being; psychosocial resources; psychological outcome - Hopkins systems checklist (7 item scale); pre placement assessment and either 2,3,4,5 waves of assessment after placement

Gaugler et al., 2010, USA [41]

Determine if there was significant changes in burden and depressive symptoms in caregivers in the 12 months following RACF admission of their relatives with dementia; identify key predictors of burden and depression in that transition period

1116 caregivers of patients diagnosed with dementia

Cohort study with follow up of 12 months

Zarit Burden inventory; geriatric depression scale; MMSE for cognitive status; memory and behaviour problems checklist; functional impairment - judged by unmet needs of relative + number of hours of caregiving per day

Gaugler et al., 2014, USA [42]

Test prognostic tools for their usefulness in identifying dementia caregivers at risk for burden and depressive symptoms.

1610 caregivers of patients diagnosed with dementia

Retrospective longitudinal study

NHA-Burden tool; NHA-depression tool

Givens et al., 2012, USA [14]

To understand the experiences of family members with regard to the transition of their older family member to nursing home

16 carers of people with dementia average age 62 years

Qualitative cohort study with semi structured interviews

Communication with HCPs; surrogate decision making; emotional distress

Hainstock et al., 2017, Canada [15]

To understand the caregiver’s journey in transitioning their older family member into RACF

15 family carers

Qualitative study with semi structured interviews

How do family caregivers navigate and experience the transition from HC into RC for a family member?

Kallianis et al., 2017, Australia [33]

To understand the impacts on family of transition of patients from palliative care to RACF

Eight family members members of patients receiving palliative care in hospital

Qualitative study with semi-structured interviews

Concerns and barriers to transition

Kelsey et al., 2010, USA [34]

Explore how caregiver-care receiver dynamics affect the experiences of the transition

15 carers of people with dementia

Qualitative study with semi-structured interviews

Experiences of caregivers during transition to assisted living

Konietzny et al., 2018, Canada [17]

To explore informal caregivers’ experiences of transitioning an older adult into long term care

13 informal carers of residential care residents

Qualitative study with semi-structured interviews

Caregivers’ experiences before, during and after transiton

Lloyd, 2010, Canada [35]

To better understand the experiences of caregivers during a crisis placement of their family member

Six primary caregivers who had crisis placed an elderly family member in a nursing home

Qualitative study with semi-structured interviews

Decision making; emotional responses

Metzelthin et al., 2017, Holland [44]

Compare caregiver and care receiver characteristics and caregiver outcomes; study the association between positive and negative caregiver outcomes; study the effect of RACF on these associations

5197 caregivers of patients diagnosed with dementia

Cross sectional study

Characteristics: sociodemographic, health related, caregiving related outcomes: subjective burden, care related QoL

O’shea et al., 2014, Ireland [36]

To explore relatives involvement in the care of their family members in RACF

Nine primary family carers of residents

Qualitative study with semi structured interviews

Family involvement in residential care

Palacios-Ceña et al., 2019, Spain [37]

To better understand the experiences of female caregivers during the transition of their family member into RACF

20 female family caregivers between ages 18 and 60

Phenomenological qualitative study

Life experience of female; family caregivers after long-stay nursing homeadmission of their relative

Pearson et al., 2004, Australia [38]

Understanding relative’s experience of the transition

58 carers who defined themselves as a close relative of someone admitted to RACF in the past 2 years

Qualitative study with interviews

Experiences and responses that each individual had before, during and following the admission of their family member to an RACF.

Ryan & McKenna, 2013, Ireland [39]

To explore rural family carers’ experience of RACF placement of their relatives and explore factors that hindered successful transition

29 rural family carers

Qualitative study with interviews

Experiences of rural carers; factors hindering transition

Schulz et al., 2004, USA [8]

Assess the impact of placing a relative with dementia in RACF on carer wellbeing report on the transition experience and postplacement health effects in a large cohort of family caregivers of persons with dementia

180 caregivers of patients with dementia

Prospective study – 18 m duration

Caregiver depression (CES-D); caregiver anxiety (state trait inventory); use of medications for depression and anxiety

Sussman & Dupuis, 2012, Canada [13]

To determine the effects of RACF admission on relatives of residents and how interventions can improve their experiences

20 carers of people with dementia or with progressive medical conditions that had become diffi cult to manage in the community, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes

Qualitative study with semi structured interviews

Families’ positive and negative experiences during each temporal phase in transitional care –the decision-making period, the waiting period, the move itself, and the post-move adjustment