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Boundaries and Connections Between Formal and Informal Caregivers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 March 2010

Catherine Ward-Griffin
Catherine Ward-Griffin*
Affiliation:
University of Western Ontario
*
Requests, etc., Dr. Catherine Ward-Griffin, School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Science, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5C1. E-mail: cwg@julian.uwo.ca
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Abstract

Although the experiences of formal and informal caregiving have been discussed and debated in the literature, more is assumed than is actually known (McDaniel & Gee, 1993). This qualitative study explored both informal and formal caregivers' perceptions of their own caregiving and the views of each other's caregiving. Information was collected through the use of in-depth interviews with 23 family caregivers and 15 nurses providing home care to older persons. Analysis of interview transcripts and field notes reveals that both informal and formal caregivers engage in all facets of caring work – physical, intellectual and emotional care – but that they carry out this work in varying degrees, and for different reasons. The reasons given for these differences, namely the nurses' professional knowledge and higher status designation, are key elements that define the boundaries between professional and family caregiving. However, it is apparent that, over time, this demarcation diminishes as family caregivers' knowledge and skill match those of health professionals. Study findings point to implications for future theory development and research.

Résumé

Bien que le secteur des soins formels et informels ait été examiné sous plusieurs angles et qu'on ait largement publié à son sujet, on nage encore plus dans l'hypothèse que dans la pleine connaissance (McDaniel & Gee, 1993). Cette étude qualitative explore les perspectives des soignants formels et informels, leurs propres prestations et leur vision de celle des autres soignants. Les données ont été recueillies par le biais d'entrevues en profondeur auprès de 23 soignants familiaux et de 15 infirmières assurant des soins à domicile aux aîné(e)s. L'analyse des transcriptions des entrevues et des notes révèle que les soignants formels comme informels s'engagent dans toutes les facettes de soins, physiques, intellectuelles et émotives, mais qu'ils exécutent ces tâches à divers degrés et pour différentes raisons. Les raisons qui justifient ces différences, notamment l'expertise professionnelle des infirmières et le degré élevé du statut, constituent des éléments clés qui définissent les limites entre les soins accordés par des professionnels et ceux qui sont donnés par les familles. Cependant, il ressort clairement qu'avec le temps, cette démarcation s'atténue au fur et à mesure que les soignants des familles acquièrent des connaissances et parviennent à rivaliser avec les soignants professionnels. Les résultats de l'étude permettent de faire ressortir des éléments de théories à établir et de recherches à effectuer.

Keywords

Formal CaregivingInformal CaregivingHome CareLong-Term CareOlder PersonsNursingSoins formelssoins informelssoins à domicilesoins de longue duréeaîné(e)ssoins infirmiers
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 21 , Issue 2 , Summer/Été 2002 , pp. 205 - 216
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 2002

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Footnotes

*This study was made possible by the following funding resources: Health Canada (NHRDP) Research Training Award (#6606-5125-47), Canadian Nurses' Foundation Research Grant, and the Helen Glass Research Award (Sigma Theta Tau Nursing Society, Iota Omicron Chapter). The author wishes to gratefully acknowledge Drs. Victor Marshall, Pat McKeever, and Ann Robertson for their guidance and advice throughout the research project, and to thank Dr. Tony Vandervoort and three anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on earlier drafts of this paper.

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