Current research on informal carers´ subjective perceptions of caregiving demonstrate that carers experience is ambivalent. It means that they experience negative as well as positive feelings simultaneously. Using qualitative data analysis on open-ended questions, from the representative Quality of social home care in Slovenia survey, I researched what makes carers the happiest and what burdens them the most. Quantitative data analysis was used to determine the relationship between selected independent variables and carers subjective perceptions. Satisfation of the care receiver was the most important factor contributing to carers´ happiness, followed by personal satisfaction and improvement of carereceivers´ health condition. The most burdensome factor appeared to be carereceivers´ health condition and care related to it, accompanied with coordination as the second, and uncertainty as the third most burdening factor. When reporting on happiness, statistically significant differences occured in relation with caregivers´ age, as older caregivers adressed emotional connection, twice more frequently as younger caregivers. The results on caregivers burden showed its statistically significant connection to caregivers age and marital status. For older caregivers, health condition of care receiver and their own health condition are the most burdensome factors related to caregiving, while younger report on those two factors less frequently. Lack of time burdened single caregivers more than married ones. Caregiving relationship proved to be statistically siginificantly connected to caregivers burden, as adult children reported being burdened by lack of time more often then partners. On the other hand partners were more likely to report being burdened by their own health condition, as were adult children.
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