Imminent Concerns Of Filial Caregivers Reporting Recent Experiences Of Crisis

Abstract

The purpose of this descriptive study was to generate information about imminent concerns of adult children that could serve as initial context for development of a meaningful framework for coping with an ongoing parent care situation. Ninety-two adult children pre-selected for self-reports of crisis were interviewed about their concerns and goals for caregiving and asked to discuss experiences of crisis in the previous six months of caregiving. Key issues pertaining to their experiences were extracted from notes of the interviews and classified according to their common properties. Cohen's kappa for interrater reliability of the classifications was .79 while percentage agreement was 98 percent. The results of the study point to the presence of multiple issues pertaining to significant life and death events, relational burdens, early experiences with the family of origin, and focal patterns of distress and coping. Synthesis of the findings reveals overriding concerns for making improvements in one's family of origin, created family of adulthood, and middle-aged self. Findings have implications for experiential adult education in the area of filial maturity and caregiving.

Evaluative Criteria for Qualitative Research in Health Care: Controversies and Recommendations

“…40,41 Publications describe strategies for sampling, [42][43][44][45] analyzing, reporting, [45][46][47][48][49] and combining qualitative and quantitative methods 50 ; and a growing body of health care research reports fi ndings from studies using in-depth interviews, [51][52][53][54] focus groups, [55][56][57] observation, [58][59][60] and a range of mixed-methods designs. [61][62][63] As part of a project to evaluate health care improvements, we identifi ed a need to help health care researchers, particularly those with limited experience in qualitative research, evaluate and understand qualitative methodologies.…”

The Sandwich Generation: Challenges and Coping Strategies of Multigenerational Families

“…By emphasizing the psychological benefits, such as emotional support, and identifying concrete examples in which aging parents can assist their adult children, aging parents' self-worth could be enhanced and their frustration reduced. England and Tripp-Reimer (2003) conducted a descriptive study to produce information regarding imminent concerns of caregivers and a framework for coping with long-term care of an aging parent. The researchers sought to identify issues related to adult children's experiences of crisis in caregiving during the last 6 months and to link issues related to experiences of crisis with adult children's potential to implement viable parent care.…”

“…The issues highlighted by the participants were categorized in five domains: (a) significant life and death; (b) family relational burden, which encompassed filial, sibling, and marital strains as well as disabilities and limited resources; (c) early childhood experiences from family of origin, which included child abuse, poverty, and circumstances of leaving the childhood home; (d) focal patterns of distress, which included bereavement, concerns regarding the meaning of life, and thought processes (i.e., suicidal ideation); and (e) dysfunctional coping patterns such as alcohol abuse and elder abuse. England and Tripp-Reimer (2003) concluded that the diversity of issues identified by the participants represented awareness by adult children of their individual crises and their potential for ongoing caregiving of an aging parent. In addition, the frequency with which the participants reported on past and present experiences of crisis demonstrated the "nonlinear contextual nature of parent care and other human concerns" (England & Tripp-Reimer, 2003, p. 82).…”

“…They explained that based on the narratives, respondents had not acquired the necessary skills (negotiation and self-care) in their family of origin, which in turn would facilitate effective care of aging parents. England and Tripp-Reimer (2003) recommended that counselors help clients recognize the contextual quality of caring for aging parents, such as how the caregiver's sibling and marital relationships impact their potential to function successfully in caring for an aging parent: For example, helping adult siblings and couples identify strategies to create an equitable framework for sharing of the caregiving responsibilities of aging parents. In addition, exploration of the caregiver's role in his or her family of origin could provide possible explanations for a caregiver's distress or frustration with the caring for an aging parent.…”

The sandwich generation: individual, family, organizational and societal challenges and opportunities

“…They cite higher levels of being sandwiched and feeling sandwiched across both Asians and Hispanics than across Caucasians and African Americans. England and Tripp-Reimer (2003), in a sample of 92 adult children caregivers who had experienced a crisis within the previous six months, studied their concerns and goals for caregiving and their recent crisis experiences. Most were women, first born, married, working, had provided care for six months or less, mostly for mothers, about four hours a day, involving Alzheimer's, and with most of the parents living in assisted living or nursing homes.…”