Older women are an important source of primary informal caregiving for their elderly spouses. Research confirms that these caregivers experience significant burden, yet seldom avail themselves of respite or in-home services. The health practices of these women-how they manage their own health while providing care-is not known. Yet, such knowledge is foundational to planning and testing effective nursing interventions for this population. The purpose of the research portion of this project is to generate substantive theory about the health practices of elderly women caregivers. A feminist perspective will provide a theoretical frame of reference for the research. Approximately 40 women, 65 years of age or older, who are primary informal caregivers for functionally dependent spouses will be interviewed. The initial participant sample will be diversified on demographic variables of culture and ethnicity. Theoretical sampling, as directed by the methodology of grounded theory, will guide ongoing selection of participants. Demographic information will be gathered to describe the sample. Data gathering and analysis will proceed concurrently using a constant comparative technique appropriate to grounded theory. The investigator's career goal is to become an independent investigator in the domain of elderly women's health. The investigator has long-standing expertise in research-theory interrelationships and social critique, and contemporary clinical practice as a gerontological nurse practitioner. The supporting course work necessary to complete this project includes elements of further study about health practices for elderly women and minorities, grounded theory methodology, and feminist critique. The project goal is to develop a theory of health practices that can be subsequently used to design and test nursing interventions.
| Kramer, Maeona K (2005) Self-characterizations of adult female informal caregivers: gender identity and the bearing of burden. Res Theory Nurs Pract 19:137-61 |
