Caregiver meaning: A study of caregivers of individuals with mental illness

The study discussed in this article examined caregiver meaning. Study parti cipants were individuals paid and supported by the South Carolina Departmen t of Mental Health Homeshare program to provide care in their home for an i ndividual with sever mental illness. A structured questionnaire and intervi ews were used to develop categories and themes about caregiver meaning. Qua ntitative and qualitative analyses yielded three categories of caregiver me aning: other-directed-altruistic, self-directed-self-actualization, and exi stential-purpose in life. Caregivers most often referred to altruistic them es, with the most common one being "helping others." The next most common t hemes were "home and family" and "making a difference." Caregiving difficul ties also were categorized. Social work implications are discussed.