Finally, so you can make sure the lookup techniques while the results was authentic according to voices and you can definitions out of professionals themselves ( Lincoln & Guba, 1985), i employed process such as for example member checking (going back to players and other trick informants to check on you to definitely all of our studies made feel in it and shown their new intent), referential adequacy (it comes down back once again to brand new books in order to specialists in industry to ensure the study is in line with one another interview transcripts and you may past search), and prolonged involvement (staying in industry and continuing so you can interviews to own treffipalvelut Kansainvälinen a protracted time frame to ensure both sufficient framework and you may posts to have analytical motives).
Description of Players
A maximum of 17 caregivers participated in the current analysis. These provided 5 away from Montreal, dos of Halifax, and you may ten from Vancouver. Professionals on the research provided 4 adult children (3 out of who recognized as heterosexual and you will step one because gay), seven partners (5 lesbian, 2 gay), cuatro family (step 3 gay, step 1 lesbian); and you can 1 aunt and step 1 next-door neighbor (one another heterosexual). The fresh gender report about the players complement the newest requested in search of of so much more feminine caregivers (10) than simply dudes (7). The age of the latest caregivers varied of 33 ages to 68 age, that have the common ages of 63 decades to the partners and you will 41 age towards the mature college students.
New caregivers regarding the studies said various intervals into the the caregiving role. Certain got merely become caregiving for less than a-year, whereas anyone else was actually caregiving for up to twenty years. The brand new regularity away from get in touch with varied away from twenty-four hours a day to dos activities off contact (phone calls, visits) weekly (look for Table step 1).
Self-Personality once the an effective Caregiver
Research throughout the general caregiving literary works (reflecting the newest heterosexual caregiving relationships) shows that those family whom render outstanding crucial, physical, financial, and you can emotional assistance to more mature friends do not tend to choose by themselves once the caregivers. This is especially valid away from partners who come across caregiving as a sheer extension of its spousal character, anything complete out-of love otherwise responsibility otherwise consequently off a mutual experience of the latest care recipient. Caregivers in today’s studies known with this particular fact, getting obvious indicators you to definitely caregivers regarding lgbt the elderly has a similar feeling of inspiration and identity (self-identity due to the fact an excellent caregiver) while the caregivers away from heterosexual the elderly. Another quotation reflects this:
I’m not most a beneficial caregiver, it’s a love based upon love. I favor my spouse, I found myself always having your, we’ll always be to each other. … It’s been three decades that we try together, therefore i take care of him. … (Companion, gay)
Taking care of regarding taking good care of an excellent gay or lesbian older may are the thought of area label and relationship since the a motivating factor to own providing care. Which pointed in order to a different power of one’s gay and lesbian people that will potentially dictate the latest caregiving sense. That lesbian spouse caregiver mirrored about how their own family unit members on the lesbian society you’ll understand by themselves: “Not as … caregivers, but there would be rallying in the society to state we need to place support around [her].”
This concept regarding neighborhood challenged the idea that old gay men and you may lesbians have been, due to their sexual positioning, much more remote than simply its heterosexual alternatives. In reality, some investigating provides ideal that old gay men and you may lesbians successfully participate in friendships and you will feel an extensive sense of neighborhood through the the life you to definitely employs all of them into their retirement ( Shippy mais aussi al., 2004; Thompson & Richardson, 2002).