In sickness and in health: The strains and gains of caring for a chronically ill or disabled spouse

Objectives To examine the subjective experiences of spousal carers, focusing on positive, negative, and relational aspects of this role. Methods Mixed-methods exploratory study involving questionnaires (N = 40) and in-depth interviews (N = 8) with spousal carers in the southwest of England. Results...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Chronic illness 2017-06, Vol.13 (2), p.75-87
Main Authors: Solomi, Victoria L, Casiday, Rachel E
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation, Psychological
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Caregivers
Caregivers - psychology
Caregiving
Chronic Disease - nursing
Chronic Disease - psychology
Chronic illnesses
Disabled Persons - psychology
England
Female
Health promotion
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Qualitative Research
Questionnaires
Spouses - psychology
Stress, Psychological - psychology
Subjective experiences
Surveys and Questionnaires
Women
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Summary:Objectives To examine the subjective experiences of spousal carers, focusing on positive, negative, and relational aspects of this role. Methods Mixed-methods exploratory study involving questionnaires (N = 40) and in-depth interviews (N = 8) with spousal carers in the southwest of England. Results Participants used a combination of negative and positive terms to describe their experiences, with the cared-for spouse's mental acuity, behavior towards the carer, and amount of care required, impacting on carers' subjective experience. Women were more likely to report neglecting their own health because of being a carer (p = 0.02). The marital relationship itself was highly significant, and many carers took special measures to maintain and develop their marital bonds. Carers adapted to their roles in various ways, with those finding acceptance of their situation and accessing support appearing to cope best with the demands of the role. Discussion This study, though based on a small and geographically restricted sample, offers insight into the positive, negative, and relational experiences of spousal carers. Support that encourages carers to engage in health-promoting activities, and ideally provides opportunities for both partners to be involved in such activities together, may be particularly beneficial.
ISSN:1742-3953
1745-9206
DOI:10.1177/1742395316664960