Caregivers

The purpose of this phenomenological research was to explore the lived experiences of daughters and daughters-in-law who care for aging parents at home. Interviews were conducted with four daughters and two daughters-in-law. The interviews were audiotaped and the researcher conducted observational field notes. The interviews were utilized for data-collection and then transcribed into text. The researcher followed van Manen's method. Essential themes were frustration, anger, guilt, lack of social life, effects on jobs and family support as described by the participants. Variant themes unfolded as themes not shared by all the participants: care for the caregiver, education for the caregiver, being a detective, coming out of his shell, like a robot, reference of aging parent as a patient and judgment by others. The researcher uncovered interpretive themes of unconditional devotion, struggling with childlike mannerism, everlasting vigilance and ambivalence through a paradoxical view. Lonely journey surfaced as the metatheme.

The numbers of transplant surgeries continue to rise in the U.S. This results in a greater number of caregivers who are present in the recipients' lives. Most often these caregivers are spouses. Transplant spouses present with emotional needs, which have been expressed in this study. Nurses, especially those who work with the spouses of transplant candidates and recipients, could be appreciative of the requirements that have been told by these spouses. Six women and two men were interviewed for this study. Their stories were analyzed using a phenomenological approach and five themes emerged from the data. The themes that surfaced included uncertainty, support, thankfulness and a positive approach, intimacy and the relationship as a couple, and guilt. Two general structures then evolved from these themes to include adaptation and belief in self and others. The general structures revealed the ways the spouses learned to live during the transplant journey.