Unknown Aspect of Compassion Fatigue in Family Caregivers of Elderly: A Phenomenological Study

Abstract

The study aims to evaluate caregiving emotional state of caregiver family members, their state of experiencing compassion fatigue, and their opinions about effect of compassion fatigue on care. The study was designed using a phenomenological pattern, and 10 volunteer family caregivers were included in the study group. Individual interview technique was used in data collection. Data was analyzed through content analysis with an inductive method and gathered under three themes: (1) opinions of caregivers about emotional status of caregiving to their patients, (2) symptoms of compassion fatigue, and (3) relationship of compassion fatigue and care process. In content analysis conducted on expressions of caregivers about their caregiving to their patients, 8 categories were created under Theme 1, 11 categories are established in the theme of symptoms of compassion fatigue, and 15 categories are created in the theme of relationship of compassion fatigue and care process. Caregivers used codes such as “to the best of my ability, sufficiently, as far as possible, remorse.”