When families cannot serve as full-time caregivers for severely, mentally i
ll family members, agency-supported caregivers provide an alternative to ch
ronic hospitalization. Caregivers who provide 24 hour per day care experien
ce caregiver burden; they also find rewards and meaning in their work. The
purpose of this study is to observe positive experiences of paid caregivers
for seriously, mentally ill individuals, especially the meaning or purpose
it gives their lives and the self-fulfilment or self-actualization that ca
regiving provides. The caregivers in this study possessed a high purpose in
life suggesting that caregiving may give meaning to life. Also, the caregi
vers of these individuals with severe, mental illness tend to be highly oth
er-oriented (altruistic), an external focus that may decrease their own sel
f-awareness. Thus, caregivers who provide continuous residential care may b
enefit from therapeutic interventions designed to reinforce self-care skill
s.