Family caregiving and the use of formal community support services: a qualitative case study

The aim of this qualitative case study was to describe a family caregiver's experience with the use of formal community support services. The emotional responses to caregiving and to the gradual relinquishing of the caregiving role also are described. A 76-year-old wife caring for her husband who had Alzheimer's disease was interviewed over a 3-month period. Two of the caregiver's providers of formal services also were interviewed. Four themes emerged from analysis of transcribed interviews describing the caregiver's experience with formal services. These themes reflected the caregiving needs that precipitated service use and the effects of formal support, including their roles in the transition from home care to residential care. The findings, in this case, suggested that formal support played an influential role in "giving permission" for the caregiver to place her husband in institutional care. Implications for nurses, other health professionals, policy makers, and for further research are drawn from these findings.