Social Support and Stressors among VA Medical Foster Home Caregivers

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to identify sources of social support and stressors that facilitated or hindered caregivers in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Foster Home (MFH) program in performing their duties. We conducted phone interviews with 35 caregivers and found they relied on work-related, religious, and emotional social support. Caregivers’ unmet needs included a lack of time to re-charge; affordable respite services; enough VA-paid relief services, adequate relief caregivers; and ability to attend church. To address these needs, VA leadership should make MFH caregivers eligible for VA Caregiver Support Programs, encourage reciprocal caregiving arrangements, and organize virtual church services.

KEYWORDS:

• Caregiving
• social support
• veterans
• adult foster care

Acknowledgement

This material is the result of work supported with resources and the use of facilities at the Rocky Mountain Regional Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The contents do not represent the views of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States Government.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).