Taking care: caregiving to persons with cancer and AIDS

The purpose of this study was to provide an in-depth description of Taking Care, one of the phases of a grounded theory (The Labor of Caregiving) of caregiving for families experiencing life-threatening illnesses such as cancer and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). In-depth interviews were conducted with 26 family caregivers of persons with cancer and AIDS during a 4-month period. Grounded theory methodology served as the basis for data collection and analysis. Data were analyzed in terms of the strategies, consequences, and interactions involved in the caregiving experience. The strategies of Taking Care included these data themes: Managing the Illness, Facing and Preparing for Dying, and Managing the Environment. The consequences of Taking Care included the data themes Coming to Know One's Own Strength, and Personal Suffering. Interactions that occurred as a result of Taking Care included Responding to Family Relationship Issues, and Struggling with the Health Care System. Findings from this research reveal that family caregivers dedicate an enormous portion of their lives to caring for their ill family members. They experience their own form of suffering as they watch their loved one die. Some also find personal meaning in the experience and an awakening of their own strengths. One of the implications from these findings is the need for a partnership between health care professionals and the families providing care.