5.2.2 A constructivist investigation into relationship between community-dwelling older people and their family and paid carers (203)
Philip Clissett, Lecturer, School of Nursing, Lincoln Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom philip.clissett@nottingham.ac.uk
Abstract:
Despite an ever growing body of research exploring the stresses and strains experienced by people involved in caring for their community-dwelling friends and relatives (Zarit, 1989), relatively few studies have investigated such caring in a way that focuses on the interdependent, interactional and dynamic elements of giving and receiving care (Nolan et al, 2001). As part of a wider study which considered caregiving relationships from multiple perspectives over the period of one year, this presentation aims to explore the way relationships develop between older people and their family carers and with paid carers. Informed by a constructivist perspective (Guba and Lincoln, 1989) and using a longitudinal approach, data were collected during 74 semi-structured interviews relating to 19 purposively selected caregiving situations. Interviews were conducted in three phases (between 2003 and 2005) at six month intervals and, where possible, involved community dwelling older people, their family carers and their paid carers. Data analysis revealed that the nature of these relationships appeared to involve five underpinning processes: discovering each other, negotiation, recognising the value of each other, recognising the difference you are making and discovering pleasure. These processes seemed to apply to older people, their family carers and the paid carers. Gaining such insights into the development of caregiving relationships is useful to health and social care professionals as it offers an indication of how they might approach working with older people and their family carers so that the resulting relationship offers positive benefits to all parties.
Recommended reading list:
- Guba E and Lincoln Y (1989). Fourth Generation Evaluation. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA
- Nolan M, Davies S, Grant G, (2001). Working With Older People and their Families. Open University Press, Buckingham
- Zarit S (1989). Do we need another 'stress and caregiving' study? Gerontologist 29(2): 147-148
Source of Funding: Non UK
Level of Funding: N/A
Biography:
After more than a decade of clinical nursing I moved into nurse education and have been a lecturer at the University of Nottingham School of Nursing since 2000. The focus of much of my practice, research and teaching has been related to the care of older people. In 2001, I registered for a PhD and this presentation reflects one of the key themes of this study. With my thesis now completed, I am focusing on disseminating both my findings and some of the methodological issues that were uncovered during the progress of my work.