Exploring physical pain and injuries in informal caregivers to older adults

Previous studies document positive and negative effects of informal caregiving on the caregiver’s physical and mental health. Although injuries are highly prevalent in professional home care workers, they have not been fully examined in informal caregivers. This study has explored physical pain and injuries in informal caregivers to frail older adults using the grounded theory approach and symbolic interactionism theoretical background. In-depth interviews have been conducted with twenty primary caregivers. Injuries in study participants included muscle and back strains, falls, sprained ankles, twisted knees, a broken wrist, a dislocated shoulder, and burns and bruises. Female spousal caregivers were especially vulnerable to physical pain and injury. A substantive theory was developed, relating to the social process of “attenuating the caregiver’s well-being while accentuating the care recipient’s well-being in the course of informal care provision.” This will provide a useful conceptual framework for future studies and caregiver interventions.