Title : A phenomenological study on caregiving burnout of disabled elderly family caregivers
Abstract:
Objective: To gain an in-depth understanding of the current situation of caregiving burnout among family caregivers of the disabled elderly, analyze the causes and mitigating factors of caregiving burnout, and provide reference for the provision of supportive interventions in the community. Methods Eleven family caregivers of the disabled elderly in a community in Zhengzhou City were selected from March to May 2024 using the maximum differentiated sampling method, and semi-structured interviews were conducted using the phenomenological research method. Colaizzi's 7-step phenomenological analysis method was applied to summarize and analyze the results of the interviews and refine the themes. The results were summarized into 3 themes and 11 sub-themes, i.e., feelings of burnout among family caregivers (caregiving stress, complex emotional experiences, and wanting to run away from caregiving), drivers of caregiving burnout (low value, lack of knowledge, communication dilemmas with the elderly, and difficulty in resolving negative emotions), and buffers of caregiving burnout (external comfort and support, emotional ties with the elderly, positive self-adjustment, positive feedback from caregiving). Conclusion: Caregiving burnout is a unique emotional response of family caregivers when facing the stress of long-term caregiving, which has a negative impact on the physical and mental health of the elderly and caregivers as well as the quality of caregiving, and the results of the present study can guide clinical workers to develop an intervention program from the perspectives of information support, communication skills training, and emotion regulation strategies in order to reduce the incidence of caregiver burnout in the family caregiver of elderly people with disabilities, and improve the physical and mental health of both the elderly and the caregivers.
Audience Take Away:
- This study analyzed the status and causes of caregiving burnout among family caregivers of older adults with disabilities, providing empirical evidence for targeted interventions
- The study found a high degree of individual differentiation in caregiving burnout among family caregivers of the elderly with disabilities, suggesting that the high prevalence of burnout should be identified in a timely manner
- Enhancing the emotional regulation skills of family caregivers of the elderly with disabilities, increasing the sense of fulfillment in caregiving, and improving communication patterns with the elderly can alleviate caregiving burnout, and healthcare workers should also provide caregivers with supportive measures such as respite services
