Planning for an Uncertain Future: Sibling and Parent Perspectives on Future Caregiving for Persons with Acquired Brain Injury

摘要

Objective: To understand how parents and siblings prepare for the future care and support of their family members with acquired brain injuries. Participants: A total of 30 parent and adult sibling dyads of persons with brain injuries from a large Southwestern city in the United States participated. Results: Through a grounded theory approach via the constant comparative method of text analysis, discrete themes were identified through coding open-ended survey responses on parent and sibling feelings about future sibling caregiving responsibilities and preparations for siblings to take on this role. Parent and sibling participants were largely reluctant and not prepared for siblings to assume greater future caregiving responsibilities. Conclusions: Parents and siblings of persons with brain injury demonstrated consistency in their feelings about and preparations for future sibling caregiving. Families of persons with brain injuries require considerable help from rehabilitation counselors and allied professionals in making future caregiving plans.