The informal caregiver’s experience: caring for a cancer patient parent in times of crisis. A qualitative research
Contact: Christina Katsari - katsari@gmail.com Abstract The current study researches variability of experiencing caregiving, the positive and negative emotional impact on informal caregivers, as well as the importance of familial, socioeconomic and sociocultural factors in Greece. IPA, a subject-centered qualitative approach, was used to explore meaningful insights of three young women that were primary caregivers to their cancer patient parents. Participants expressed feeling lonely due to unmet needs by the institutions, lack of psychological support, strained family relationships and not enough support by their partners. Extended family members, friends and communities played a more positive role on the issue. Existential loneliness was also felt by all three participants. Witnessing cancer at the end of life, was reported as very traumatic, causing them high levels of distress, anxiety and other trauma related symptoms. Being empathic witnesses to their parent’s illness trajecto
