Women's experiences of barriers to support while caregiving

This qualitative study explored women's perceptions of barriers to support during family caregiving in a Canadian setting. Twenty mothers of premature infants and twenty women caring for an older person who is cognitively impaired were interviewed in-depth over 18 months. Both groups of women preferred that support be offered to them and identified numerous barriers to requesting support. Perceived barriers included an obligation to provide care, loss of independence and self-esteem, concern for burden on others, the desire to excuse others from providing support, the inability to reciprocate support, fear of refusal or exposure, nonsupportive actions, the time and effort needed to coach others to provide effective support, and the lack of available, competent help. Some of these barriers reflect personal costs to the woman caregiver. Other barriers reflect societal norms that family caregiving is the responsibility of women.