[The significance of the family as primary caregiver for the aged in need of assistance].
This study focuses on the experiences of the primary care-giver of somatically impaired older people and intends to get a better understanding of the social conditions, difficulties and limitations of family care. Data come from qualitative in depth interviews with 52 primary care-givers: 24 spouses, 21 children (mostly daughters) and seven other women. In this article special attention is given to the importance of other people (mostly members of the family) to the primary care-giver. Fifty % of the primary care-givers experienced their situation as not so burdensome, 25% as rather and also 25% as very burdensome. Support turns out to be very important for the primary care-giver but lots of support does not always prevent a situation from becoming very burdensome. Three kinds of stress have been distinguished: care-stress, relation-stress and network-stress. Particularly network-stress turns out to be indicative for very burdensome situations. Pre-eminently one is experiencing this kind of stress if one is also experiencing care- and relation-stress. In spite of much stress and feelings of burden however, people tend to continue with caring. A strong sense of duty plays a mayor part here. Finally, the current political trend to effect a shift to more informal care, is critically evaluated in the light of the results of the research.
Janssen
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Katholieke Universiteit, Nijmegen, Vakgroep Sociologie.
D000368:Aged; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000639:trends*; D006701:Home Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D009426:Netherlands; D011640:Public Policy; D012944:Social Support; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013315:Stress, Psychological
De betekenis van de familie voor de centrale verzorg(st)er van hulpbehoevende oudere mensen.