DEVELOPING A TYPOLOGY OF FAMILY CARE - IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSES AND OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS

The meanings attributed to the concept of care are considered. It is a rgued that whilst nursing has paid considerable attention to care in a professional (nursing) context, it has virtually ignored care as it i s defined and constructed by family carers. A new typology of family c are is described which builds on the limited existing conceptual work in this area. It is further suggested that interventions which are int ended to assist carers form a continuum ranging from services which ar e facilitative to those which are actually obstructive. In the light o f these discussions, the implications of the new typology for nurses w orking with family carers are addressed briefly.