Voices from the community: Reactions of people who care for the chronically ill

Abstract

Home-based care-givers carry the burden of caring for patients with chronic illnesses. They experience many challenges as they discharge their patient care duties. This study sought to explore the experiences of home-based care givers at a community in Thulamela Municipality of the Limpopo Province. A survey was conducted with six home-based care-givers who were purposefully selected for the study. Unstructured interviews were conducted. Tesch’s eight steps were used to analyse the data. Six major themes emerged from the study in which participants showed a general understanding of chronic illness. Their decision to become care givers was anchored on expected benefits. During home visits, the care givers conducted general assessment of the patient and provided physical care. However, they feared being blamed and getting infected.