OVERCOMING ODDS: RESILIENCE OF CAREGIVERS WITH HEALTH ISSUES IN CONTINUING CARE TOWARDS CARE RECIPIENTS AND SELF

Abstract

Despite the increasing prevalence of caregivers with health issues, the lived experiences of this population group remained under researched in Singapore. Even amongst the overseas literature, most studies were only focused the negative impacts of caregiving specific to this group. Studies that explored the experiences of those who managed to continue to care for their care recipients while maintaining their own health were much less common. In response, this qualitative study seeks to explore the lived experiences of caregivers with health issues in Singapore, and more importantly, uncover the mediating processes involved that influence caregivers’ continual care. The conceptual framework that incorporates the resilience framework and, stress and coping model was used to guide the study. A total of nine caregivers with health issues who demonstrated the ability to continue care were interviewed in this study. Study findings revealed that caregivers with health issues were often faced with many other stressors that stemmed from their own health issues and other social roles, in addition to their caregiving responsibilities,. These additional stressors experienced accentuated the impact of caregiving on them. Caregivers’ perceived caregiving stress and the lack of familial support posed as risk factors that challenged caregivers’ continual care. However, it was the protective factors and processes moved one’s trajectory from one of risk towards one of adaptation, enabling their continual care. These study findings offer present practice implications that can be incorporated into practice to support this group of caregivers