Positive Aspects of Caregiving from the Saskatchewan Caregiver Experience Study

ABSTRACT

Functioning as a family or friend caregiver can be burdensome, but many caregivers also find positive aspects to the experience. The Saskatchewan Caregiver Experience Study sought to examine the positive aspects of caregiving for caregivers to older adults. This qualitative descriptive study involved an online qualitative survey. The researcher-developed survey asked three specific questions. We report in this paper the findings from our analysis of the survey question: “What do you find is positive about your caregiving role?” We analyzed 350 responses to this question using content analysis. The main categories of positive aspects identified by participants were related to the (1) rewards of caregiving; (2) having the ability and opportunity to care; (3) ensuring quality care for the care recipient; and (4) the experience of personal growth through being a caregiver. As well, a fifth category was included to encompass responses from participants who stated that caregiving was not a positive experience. By gathering caregivers’ perspectives on the positive aspects of caregiving, researchers, clinicians, and policymakers can tailor services and initiatives to facilitate and enhance positivity in the caregiving role.

KEYWORDS:

• Caregivers
• older adults
• aging
• lived experiences
• qualitative description

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the Saskatoon Council on Aging (SCOA) and the SCOA Caregiver Committee for their support in the development and launch of the Saskatchewan Caregiver Experience Study. As well, thank you to the caregivers of Saskatchewan for their interest and participation in this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/01924788.2024.2319459

Additional information

Funding

Financial support was received from the Saskatoon Council on Aging, a not-for-profit organization in Saskatchewan that provides support to older adults and their caregivers.