[Men as caregivers for their wives - two phenomenological studies of the experiences of male primary caregivers in home arrangements. Part 1: men as caregivers for their wives after stroke].

BACKGROUND

In Germany, men participate more and more in the extensive process of caring for their relatives. The ongoing discourse in nursing sciences, however, reflects poorly on this increasing number of male principal caregivers.

AIM

Objective of the present study is to analyse the following questions, with focus on caring husbands: Firstly, how do caring husbands experience caring for their wives after stroke? And secondly, how do they organise daily life?

METHOD

Narrative interviews with ten caring husbands were conducted. Analysis was performed using a modified phenomenological-interpretative approach as described by Diekelmann (1992).

RESULTS

Six central issues evolved: "I never thought something like that'd happen to us …" (disease as acute crisis); "I see her just the way she was when we first met …" (relationship); "… since then I got her in home care." (care); "… this work, it's never been easy" (work and burden); "This new situation, well, you've got to adapt …" (adaptation); "… because I do need some time for myself!" (support and relief). "Being responsible" emerged as a constitutive pattern, according to which caring husbands perceive their own life situation.

CONCLUSION

Professional nurses should take this constitutive pattern seriously and should align their work to it when collaborating with male principal care givers. For this purpose, further research is needed to develop new approaches to this special situation and its implications.