Looking After a Loved One Receiving Palliative Care; A Male Experience
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Looking After a Loved One Receiving Palliative Care; A Male Experience
IRAS ID
139665
Contact name
Rebecca Judd
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Birmingham
Research summary
Carers UK outline that there are currently 6 million adults made up of friends, family and relatives providing unpaid care in the UK (excluding Scotland; Buckner & Yeandle, 2011). This is an increase of 629,000 people over a ten year period. It is estimated that the services lay carers provide are worth £119 billion of care per year (Buckner & Yeandle, 2011). Men make up 42% of the carer population however research of male lay carers is limited. We know that existing literature identifies differences in the way in which men and women seek help for themselves whilst providing care for a loved one. For example, men are more likely to be reluctant to seek help especially when it comes to psychological and emotional support for themselves (Fromme et al, 2005; Ussher & Sandoval, 2008). Caring for someone close, such as a partner, wife or husband, who is dying is an incredibly emotive time, however there is little research into caregiving for a partner at the end of life.
This research project aims to explore and gain an understanding of male lay carers’ experiences of help seeking for themselves, whilst caring for a dying loved one. This will be the first research project to explore this issue and will do so using semi-structured interviews conducted with participants on an individual basis. The data will then be analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA; Smith, Flowers & Larkin 2009), providing information and understanding regarding the lived experiences of individuals and how they make sense of them. It is hoped that the research will illuminate ways in which male lay carers caring for their partner can be best supported by professionals and services to ensure that they are offered and receive the appropriate care for themselves at such a testing time.
REC name
West Midlands - Solihull Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/WM/0062
Date of REC Opinion
20 Mar 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion