The experience of family caregivers and migrant paid caregivers relief of burden: a contrasted qualitative analysis

Abstract

Older people are increasingly being cared for in the community across Europe. Dependent care in Spain largely remains a private issue involving family carers and migrant women from developing countries. Qualitative research on respite care has contributed to our understanding of respite as a subjective experience. Nonetheless, how caregivers relieve the burden of care is still not fully understood. Migrant caregivers are present in family life but their need for rest remains unseen. The aim of the study presented in this paper was to contrast family caregivers and migrant caregivers’ strategies for relief from their caring role. Caregivers rest by thinking, doing and being but in a different manner from that of care giving, that is: when they are a different person. To leave the life of care giving is the general strategy that family caregivers use to rest from their care giving selves while turning to one’s own world describes the way migrant caregivers seek to relieve the burden of care. The comparative analysis shows that both strategies have in common the necessity to disconnect from care giving identity and that, both migrant and family care givers employ strategies that are false exits to a care giving identity: they apparently relieve the burden of care. Respite goes beyond places, times and activities; as family care itself, it requires identity.