Victoria Steiner, Lisa S. Sommer, Cheryl Gies, Katelyn Hefflinger, Carrie Skrzyniecki and Linda L. Pierce
Seventy-three caregivers of stroke survivors were interviewed about challenges/problems they experienced in the first year of caring. For this secondary data analysis, only the problems of the adult daughters (n=13) were examined for two time periods (months 0-6 and 7-12) using Colaizzi’s method of content analysis and drawn to Friedemann’s framework of systemic organization. Three themes emerged: 1) witnessing a parent’s condition (in Friedemann’s terms system maintenance; consistent throughout the year), 2) balancing the challenges of the caregiver role (system maintenance/ individuation; more evident in months 7-12), and 3) feeling physically, emotionally, and mentally drained (system maintenance; more visible in months 0-6). Findings offer healthcare providers a clearer picture of the problems daughters report and may lead to targeted interventions and ultimately improved overall health.
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