Caregiving Styles

Mary A Corcoran PhD, OT/LProfessor and Associate DeanGeorge Washington University

Why Study Caregiving

Styles?

“If you’ve seen one caregiver, you’ve seen

one caregiver”

The Caregiving Style Studies

Spouses (68)5 yearsNational Institute on Aging

Adult children (33)1 yearVirginia Commonwealth,

ARDRAF

Mixed Methods Design

• QUAL-quant• Grounded theory

Focusing on qualitative analysis today

Data

• Qualitative• Long interview (250+ total

hours)• Videotapes (33+ total hours)

• Quantitative• Sociodemographics• Measures of well-being

Qualitative Analytic Approach

Three iterative tasks

Coding Describe what is going on

Categories Identify larger “parts”

Theme Develop a theory of caregiving style

Getting from Codes to Categories

Coding – unlinked descriptions of data

Categories – arrange codes as hierarchies

Hierarchies of what?

Style

Actions

Meanings

Beliefs

Categories: Elements of Style

Beliefs

What is …?

Meanings

The role signifies …?

Actions

Caregiving gets done by …?

Themes (styles)

Categories (elements of style)

Action: Taking Care of Self

Looking at data as a whole, caregivers take care of self by

Reducing demands of role

Doing something important

Getting healthy

Staying connected

Taking Care of Self

Has strategies

Meets needs

Does not meet needs

No strategies

Does not meet needs

Three groups

Compare and contrast through axial codingCausesConsequencesContextConditions

Example: Exercise and Conditions

CR not OK

alone

CR OK alone

Help

No exercise

Exercise

Example: Exercise and Consequences

• Other causes & contexts

• Worried• Feels

Selfish

• Energized• Grateful

• Frustrated• Resentful

No help or

exercise

Help & exercise

Help & no

exercise

No help but

exercises

Four Caregiving Styles

Facilitating Directing Balancing Advocating

FacilitatingEmotional

health, identity of

CR

DirectingPhysical health of

CR

BalancingMaintaining the status

quo

AdvocatingManaging others to

support CR

Caregiver Priorities

Caregiver Strategies

FacilitatingAnything that involves self

DirectingVerbal

BalancingEnvironmental

controls, supervision, repetitive activities

AdvocatingVigilance and

advocacy

Caregiver Interactions

FacilitatingCooperative

DirectingLimited or

none

BalancingParallel

AdvocatingRange with purpose of

assessment

FacilitatingRecognizes

but doesn’t address

own needs

DirectingRecognizes

needs limited to

work

BalancingHas help

and meets own needs

AdvocatingHas help

and meets own needs

Caregiver Needs

FacilitatingWorries

about ability to provide best care

DirectingFrustrated

and stressed

BalancingGenerally satisfied with care provision

AdvocatingGenerally satisfied with care provision

Caregiver Emotions

Conclusion

• Caregivers may - demonstrate a mix of styles- change over time; circumstances

• Understanding priorities of caregiver regarding self and care recipient is key

Caveats

• Styles are a guide, not a prescription

• Theory - Requires further testing

Corcoran, M.A. (2011). Caregiving Styles: A Cognitive and Behavioral Typology Associated With Dementia Family Caregiving. The Gerontologist 51, 4, 463-472. doi:10.1093/geront/gnr002

Reference