TY - JOUR
T1 - Strangers, patients, monsters, jailers, or children
T2 - How South African caregivers view their partners with manganese poisoning
AU - Theron, Linda C.
AU - Gilgun, Jane F.
PY - 2009/6
Y1 - 2009/6
N2 - Manganese poisoning (MP) is one of many chronic, degenerative conditions that result in spousal caregiver stress. Partners who were once fully functioning become strangers to those who love them. In time, spousal caregivers may come to view their erstwhile partners as patients, jailers, monsters, or bratty children. We explore spousal caregiver perceptions of loved ones with MP, based on the narrated experiences of five full-time South African carers and develop a typology of carer experiences, which contributes to an understanding of manganese poisoning, in particular, and to caregiving theory, in general. The findings contribute to practice by providing service providers with a rich understanding of carer stress and coping, in general, and the stress of those caring for partners with MP, in particular. Such richer understanding should extend service provider empathy and encourage appropriate, supportive intervention.
AB - Manganese poisoning (MP) is one of many chronic, degenerative conditions that result in spousal caregiver stress. Partners who were once fully functioning become strangers to those who love them. In time, spousal caregivers may come to view their erstwhile partners as patients, jailers, monsters, or bratty children. We explore spousal caregiver perceptions of loved ones with MP, based on the narrated experiences of five full-time South African carers and develop a typology of carer experiences, which contributes to an understanding of manganese poisoning, in particular, and to caregiving theory, in general. The findings contribute to practice by providing service providers with a rich understanding of carer stress and coping, in general, and the stress of those caring for partners with MP, in particular. Such richer understanding should extend service provider empathy and encourage appropriate, supportive intervention.
KW - Caregiver
KW - Chronic illness
KW - Degenerative illness
KW - Manganese poisoning
KW - Phenomenological research
KW - Resilience
KW - Stress
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=70249123530&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1177/008124630903900207
DO - 10.1177/008124630903900207
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:70249123530
SN - 0081-2463
VL - 39
SP - 220
EP - 230
JO - South African Journal of Psychology
JF - South African Journal of Psychology
IS - 2
ER -