Beyond the sandwich generation: the lived experiences of older Prince Edward Island women caregivers caring for an older adult

Abstract

This research examined the experiences of older Prince Edward Island women in providing care to an aging parent, partner, family member, or friend. I investigated these experiences using a feminist lens to recognize the valuable experience of women and use their voice in bringing attention to the issues related to caregiving. This study was designed to answer three research questions:

What is the experience of older female caregivers living on Prince Edward Island? What does it mean to be caregiver? How do Prince Edward Island women describe caregiving? These questions were designed to determine what experiences, meaning, and description caregivers assign to their work and what can be learned from these experiences. Previous research in the field of caregiving has largely focused on quantitative measures of caregiver burden, activities of daily living, or access rates for caregiver support. I conducted one-to-one, in-depth interviews based on open-ended questions designed to encourage participants to share their experience. This qualitative study has advanced understanding of the caregiver experience on Prince Edward Island by highlighting the challenges faced in providing care, as well as the positive growth associated with the role. The findings offer insights in engaging family caregivers in policy and strategy development and implementation. It also offers a vision for the continued integration of social work services for aging Islanders and their families. The need for specific skills and training in gerontological social work, including a focus in end-of-life care, advocacy, and counseling support has been demonstrated.