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

Thesis (MA)-- Stellenbosch University, 2014.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.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Gesinsversorgers speel ’n groot rol in die lewens van oorlewendes van traumatiese breinbeserings (TBB). Hierdie studie het die ervaringe van gesinsversorgers van TBB-oorlewendes in die Wes-Kaap verken. Die fokus is op die uitdagings en hulpbronne wat geassosieer word met die versorgingsrol. ’n Kwalitatiewe ontwerp is geïmplementeer, waarby tematiese analise gebruik is om die semigestruktureerde onderhoude van 12 vroulike gesinsversorgers van TBB-oorlewendes te bestudeer. Verskeie uitdagings het na vore gekom, naamlik trauma, gevolge van TBB, verantwoordelikhede, gebrek aan ondersteuning, onbewustheid, finansiële las, emosionele uitdagings en hantering. Die hulpbronne wat geïdentifiseer is, het die pad na herstel, sosiale ondersteuning, finansiële hulpbron en hantering ingesluit. Intervensies wat fokus op psigo-opvoeding is geïndentifiseer as ’n belangrike behoefte onder die deelnemers aan die studie. Hierbenewens is ook ’n behoefte aan ondersteuningsgroepe uitgelig as ’n belangrike wyse om die vele uitdagings wat hierdie versorgers ervaar aan te pak. Die versorgers het ook ’n behoefte ervaar aan meer aktiewe betrokkenheid van gesondheidskundiges ten opsigte van die voorsiening van leiding, empatie en inligting. Dit blyk dat versorgers die verhouding tussen hulself en die gesondheidskundiges betrokke by hul gesinslid met die TBB as belangrik beskou. Desnietemin blyk dit duidelik uit die bevindinge van hierdie studie dat versorgers oor die algemeen nie tevrede is met die kwaliteit van die interaksie tussen die gesondheidskundiges en hulself nie. Die bevindinge van hierdie studie dien as basis vir toekomstige navorsing oor die ervaringe van gesinsversorgers van TBB-oorlewendes in the Wes-Kaap