The care provided by informal caregivers is an important part of the support needed by older adults with chronic health concerns. As the demand for caregivers grows, so does an interest in helping caregivers be healthy in order to fulfill this role. As of yet, no research has explored what being healthy means to caregivers. I explore caregivers’ beliefs about being healthy and how their beliefs are consistent with or a challenge to the values present in the health promotion discourse targeting caregivers.
I incorporate qualitative data from three sources: interviews with caregivers, interviews with people responsible for creating and updating health promotion brochures (producers), and a critical discourse analysis of health promotion brochures. I explore what being healthy means to caregivers, and I also explore what caregivers do to be healthy. The meaning of being healthy is often discussed by caregivers in terms consistent with the values of neoliberal ideology and individual responsibility. However, the means by which caregivers can be healthy are both consistent with and a challenge to these values.
Policy makers interested in finding ways to help caregivers be healthy should take into account that the meaning of being healthy is non-static and multi-dimensional. In addition, the means by which caregivers are able to be healthy are composed of multiple layers. The ability to be healthy depends on each caregiver making healthy decisions and living a healthy lifestyle. However, each caregiver’s ability to make and execute these choices is predicated on their ability to access to a wide spectrum of services and support. Encouraging caregivers to access services and supports is a vital part of helping caregivers be healthy. / Graduate
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:uvic.ca/oai:dspace.library.uvic.ca:1828/3800 |
| Date | 11 January 2012 |
| Creators | Pridham, Emily Anne |
| Contributors | Chappell, Neena L. |
| Source Sets | University of Victoria |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | Available to the World Wide Web |
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