Dr Julia E Hollis
Unitec – Institute of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand.
Title: Carers’ experience of caring for a family member with an enduring mental health problem
Biography
Biography: Dr Julia E Hollis
Abstract
Statement of the Problem: Government reports indicate that there is a high incidence of enduring mental health problems in the African and African Caribbean communities living in the UK. Although research has explored the experience of service users from both these communities, little is known about how family carers experience caring for a relative with an enduring mental health problem from the same communities. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived world of caring as experienced by African and African Caribbean carers, who cared for a relative or spouse with psychosis living in the United Kingdom.
Methodology and Theorectical Orientation: Van Manen’s hermeneutical phenomenological approach was used to explore the lived caring experience of a seven African and African Caribbean carers who cared for a relative or spouse with psychosis. Hermeneutical interviews were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim. A hermeneutic data analysis framework was used to enable prolonged emersion in the data and to gain an understanding of the phenomenon of caring.
Findings: The context of the caring relationship between carer and the cared for person revealed five essential themes. Being there and staying there; the experience of losing oneself and re-discovering self, particularly when the cared for person was in crisis; keeping an on-going dialogue with other family members who are joint carers and also partnering with mental health services. Carers expressed a conscious awareness of cultural stereotypes about Black African and Black Caribbean people, which they experienced when engaging with mental health services. For all carers there was the experience of becoming increasingly resilient and sustaining hope, particularly when they considered the achievements of the cared for person.
Conclusion and Significance: This research highlights the need for mental health and social care services to engage carers at the point of engagement and assessment and to ensure their involvement at each stage of the service user journey. More recognition of carers in their role as part of their familial duty, but also acknowledgement of their need for respite from their caring role and time to care for themselves and other family members.
Implications for Practice: Mental health and social care services in the UK and internationally need to develop a partnership relationship with family carers to support service user recovery and carer’s adjustment to their care role. Developing education and training for mental health nurses which enhances knowledge of cultural values and perceptions and experiences of mental health, mental illness and well-being of our diverse communities.