The challenges and coping strategies of care-givers working in home and community based care centres for people infected with and affected by HIV/AIDS

Home- and community-based care is deeply rooted worldwide and is an integral part of the continuum of health care. This form of care ranges from highly technical and professional services to simple forms of non-professional and voluntary support in homes. Currently a large number of people with HIV related illnesses are being cared for at home by their next of kin and community members as volunteer caregivers. With the continued high number of HIV infections, there is a need to initiate more home- and community-based care centres in South Africa. The study in question explored the challenges and coping strategies of care-givers working in home-based care for people infected with and affected by HIV/AIDS. A qualitative research approach has been employed using an explorative, descriptive and contextual design. The sample was drawn from three home- and communitybased care centres in Cofimvaba, in the Eastern Cape. Semi-structured interviews were used for data collection. Data was analyzed according to the Tesch’s model (1990). The strategy of Lincoln and Guba was used to verify data. Findings indicated that caregivers working in home-based care for people infected with and affected by HIV/AIDS, experienced challenges such as: lack of resources for proper caring; lack of cooperation from the beneficiaries of the caregivers who are getting social grants; influence of community perception on HIV infection on home- and community-based care; and emotional strain on caregivers. Relevant recommendations related to the findings are presented