Care-Recipient Resistance: What Matters to Family Caregiver Emotional and Physical Well-Being? Frequency vs. Unpredictability

2012

Yumi Shirai
[email protected]
520-621-9427

We know from existing research that care-recipient resistive behavior during necessary care provision (CR-resistance) can be very challenging for family caregivers (CGs). However, based on results from these conventional cross-sectional studies, we are not certain about whether it is the frequency and/or the unpredictable nature of CR-resistance that most influences CG emotional and physical well-being. In order to document and capture details of CG experiences of CR-resistance, the present study applied a mixed-methods design that combined an 8-day daily quantitative survey (n = 63) and a follow-up semi-structured interview (n = 19). The daily surveys captured the average frequency (mean-level) as well as the unpredictable nature (daily fluctuation) of CR-resistance; whereas the in-depth qualitative interviews obtained a nuanced, emic view of CR-resistance. Implications for enhancing family CG support and professional CG training will be discussed.

Caregiver, Resistance, Daily Fluctuation

Conference presentations and posters presented

Consumers/Families, Professionals, Students

[email protected]

N/A