Traumatic brain injury caregivers experiences : an exploratory study in the Western Cape

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Family caregivers play a large role in the lives of traumatic brain injury (TBI) survivors. This study explored the experiences of family members who care for TBI survivors in the Western Cape. Emphasis was placed on the challenges and resources that were associated with the caregiving role. A qualitative exploratory research design was implemented, whereby thematic analysis was utilised to examine the semi-structured interviews that were conducted with 12 female family caregivers of TBI survivors. Several challenges emerged, namely trauma, consequences of a TBI, responsibilities, lack of support, unawareness, financial burden, emotional challenges and coping. Several resources were also identified, namely the road to recovery, social support, financial resource and coping. These findings suggest that although caregivers who care for a family member who sustained a TBI face several challenges through the caregiving task, these individuals have a number of resources that help them to cope. Interventions that focus on psycho-education have been identified as an important need amongst the participants of this study. In addition, the need for support groups were highlighted as an important way in which many of the challenges that these caregivers experience could be addressed. Caregivers also expressed a need for more active involvement of health care professionals with regard to the provision of guidance, empathy and information. It seems as if the caregivers view the relationship between themselves and the health care professionals involved in the treatment of their family member who sustained a TBI as very important. It was however evident from the findings of this study that the caregivers are generally not satisfied with the quality of the interaction between the health care professionals and themselves. This study's findings serve as a basis for future research studies on the experiences of family caregivers of TBI survivors in the Western Cape.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University