Family relations

A common theme in the literature on care-giving is the issue of ‘hidden’ carers, that is, people who undertake caring roles and responsibilities, yet do not identify themselves as carers. One reason people do not recognise themselves as carers relates to the nature of the caring relationship. When providing care for a family member, intra-familial bonds of love and reciprocity do not encourage parties to view the relationship as anything other than a ‘normal’ familial relationship.

Recent literature emphasizes the burdens of caregiving, but there has been limited focus on benefits accrued by family members who care for older adults. This article describes phase three of a research study of employed caregivers in the workplace. Phase three of the study was a caregiver support group. Data from the support group meetings were content analyzed and interpreted using a lifespan perspective.