Using data obtained from interviews with the familial caregivers of pe
rsons with Alzheimer's disease, as well as the research findings of ot
hers, this article examines one dimension of caregiving as work-caregi
ving as emotion work. It shows that caregivers are heavily engaged in
an extensive amount of intense emotion work, are aware of ''feeling ru
les,'' and experience stress when they have failed to conform to them.
Drawing upon symbolic interactionism, the analysis shows how failure
in emotion management negatively affects the caregiver's sense of self
. The study findings suggest that emotion work, in particular failure
to manage feelings, may well be a very important but as yet not well i
dentified component of caregiver stress and burden.