Examining the experiences and needs of caregivers of older adults with mental health problems
| dc.contributor.author | Pryor, Teaghan | |
| dc.contributor.examiningcommittee | Mackenzie, Corey (Psychology) | |
| dc.contributor.examiningcommittee | Koven, Lesley (Psychology) | |
| dc.contributor.guestmembers | Haverstock, Nicole (Clinical Health Psychology) | en_US |
| dc.contributor.supervisor | Reynolds, Kristin | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2023-09-06T20:29:26Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2023-09-06T20:29:26Z | |
| dc.date.copyright | 2023-06-05 | |
| dc.date.issued | 2023-06-05 | |
| dc.date.submitted | 2023-06-05T17:24:38Z | en_US |
| dc.date.submitted | 2023-06-27T20:35:08Z | en_US |
| dc.degree.discipline | Psychology | en_US |
| dc.degree.level | Master of Arts (M.A.) | en_US |
| dc.description.abstract | Little is known about caregivers who support older adults with mental health problems (older adult mental health caregivers), with the extant research focusing on caregivers of older adults with cognitive difficulties. Older adult mental health caregivers have the unique experiences of care provision and service navigation for their recipient’s physical and mental health needs, which may elevate caregiver burden and mental health problems. Conflict often exists between the caregiver role and other personal roles, negatively impacting mental health and service use. However, barriers to this population’s mental health service use, and their ability to meet both their own and their care recipient’s needs are unknown. This research aimed to examine the experiences of older adult mental health caregivers, particularly how they balance meeting their own mental health needs and those of their care recipient. Caregivers identifying as supporting an older adult (60+) experiencing a mental health problem were recruited from public mental health services, community organizations, and social media in Manitoba (N=11). Participants completed an online survey and remote semi-structured interview examining their caregiving experiences. An interpretivist frame and Framework approach were utilized, resulting in five emerging themes depicting caregiving experiences, impact on caregiver mental health, barriers to supports and unmet support needs, balancing conflicting roles, and facilitators and barriers to navigating mental health services for their care recipient. Central to participants’ experiences were their care task focus, the cyclical nature of caregiving, care recipients’ reluctance toward external care, acknowledging mental health symptoms, and help-seeking. For those who engaged in mental health service navigation for their care recipient, it was unclear if this interfered with their ability to seek services for themselves. Conflict existed between various roles which was described as negatively impacting self-care and emotional well-being. Recommendations for service providers include flexibility in frequency, duration, timing, and scope of services to adjust to caregivers’ emotional and social support needs and the fluctuation in care recipients’ mental health over time. | en_US |
| dc.description.note | October 2023 | en_US |
| dc.description.sponsorship | Esther & Samuel Milmont Scholarship - $925 - Centre on Aging – University of Manitoba- September 2019 Tri-Council Top-Up Award - $5000 - Faculty of Graduate Studies – University of Manitoba - September 2019 Tri-Council Master’s Supplemental Award - $17,500 - Faculty of Graduate Studies – University of Manitoba Sept 2020 – Aug 2021 DATA Award – $2500 - Department of Psychology – University of Manitoba - November 2021 | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/1993/37585 | |
| dc.language.iso | eng | en_US |
| dc.rights | open access | en_US |
| dc.subject | caregivers | en_US |
| dc.subject | older adults | en_US |
| dc.subject | mental health problems | en_US |
| dc.subject | qualitative | en_US |
| dc.subject | service navigation | en_US |
| dc.title | Examining the experiences and needs of caregivers of older adults with mental health problems | |
| dc.type | master thesis | en_US |
| local.subject.manitoba | yes | en_US |
| oaire.awardNumber | 12345 | en_US |
| oaire.awardTitle | Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarship-Master’s (CGS M) | en_US |
| oaire.awardURI | https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Students-Etudiants/PG-CS/CGSM-BESCM_eng.asp | en_US |
| project.funder.identifier | https://doi.org/10.13039/501100000024 | en_US |
| project.funder.name | Canadian Institutes of Health Research | en_US |