Qualitative Exploration of Caregivers of TBI Patients

Scientific Paper

Special Topics

Tue, 6/14, 4:00 PM
Jefferson East

• Karri Ann Zumwalt, PsyD
  Algos Behavioral Health Services, Inc.
  drkarri@buzzardb.com

• Identify physical, emotional, and cognitive needs of a person with a TBI
• Learn about the needs of family members who provide care for someone with a TBI
• Acknowledge and identify appropriate services for TBI patients and their caregivers
• Recognize need for multicultural outreach to this population of caregivers

There is an increasing demand for family members to become caregivers because of rising costs in medical care, and this shift in medical care necessitates focused attention on this new population of informal caregivers. Most of the literature has focused on caregivers of patients with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, yet little research has focused on the caregivers of traumatic brain injury patients. Given that there are about 1.5 million traumatic brain injuries annually (Degeneffe, 2001), there is a need for further attention given to the caregivers of these patients. In recent months there has been an increase in reported traumatic brain injuries sustained in the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, which adds salience to this study. The purpose of this study is to explore the personal and cultural experiences of caregivers of traumatic brain injury patients. The current study utilizes an ethnographic model to gather valuable information while immersed in the unique culture of TBI caregivers. A social constructionist approach guides the interpretation of the interviews and observations provided by six caregivers of patients who suffered a traumatic brain injury. The interviews elicit meanings behind their caregiving roles within a personal context, and the observations provide understanding about how these individuals constitute a culture of their own. It is my hope that healthcare professionals, especially those on multidisciplinary teams, will benefit from this study by tailoring their interventions and treatments to the whole system of carers involved in the patients’ care. The caregivers of today have set a remarkable standard which is important for all of us to understand.