Purpose in life and self-actualization in agency-supported caregivers

When families cannot serve as full-time caregivers for severely, mentally ill family members, agency-supported caregivers provide an alternative to chronic hospitalization. Caregivers who provide 24 hour per day care experience caregiver burden; they also find rewards and meaning in their work. The purpose of this study is to observe positive experiences of paid caregivers for seriously, mentally ill individuals, especially the meaning or purpose it gives their lives and the self-fulfillment or self-actualization that caregiving provides. The caregivers in this study possessed a high purpose in life suggesting that caregiving may give meaning to life. Also, the caregivers of these individuals with severe, mental illness tend to be highly other-oriented (altruistic), an external focus that may decrease their own self-awareness. Thus, caregivers who provide continuous residential care may benefit from therapeutic interventions designed to reinforce self-care skills.