title: Strength and stress: Positive and negative impacts on caregivers for older adults in Thailand.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To understand the experiences of caregivers with older people living in Thailand, particularly as related to quality of life and stress management.
  
  
  METHODS
  In-depth interviews with 17 family caregivers were conducted and then data were thematically analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Carers experience not only negative impacts but also positive impacts from caregiving. Negative impacts include emotional stress, financial struggles and worry due to lack of knowledge. Positive impacts include affection from care recipients, good relationships with caregivers before needing care themselves and encouragement from the wider community. Opportunities to show gratitude, build karma (from good deeds) and ideas shaped largely by Buddhist teachings result in positive experiences. Negotiating between the extremes of bliss and suffering and understanding suffering as a part of life may help carers manage their stress.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Temples and centres for older people could be engaged to develop caregiving programs.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.
authors.forename: Rossarin Soottipong
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.affiliation: Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.|Department of Sociology and Gerontology, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hahn
authors.affiliation: Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.
authors.forename: Sasinee
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thapsuwan
authors.affiliation: Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.
authors.forename: Natjera
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Thongcharoenchupong
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002016:Buddhism / Q000523:psychology; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D004644:Emotions; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D013785:Thailand
keywords: caregiving; coping; family caregivers; quality of life; stress