2020 Volume 29 Pages 133-140
The purpose of this study was to identify the factors contributing to resilience in families that raise handicapped children needing medical care, caring for them for 10 or more years, until adulthood. The study was conducted on 7 visiting nurses providing care for such families, using a qualitative approach. Inductive analysis identified 59 codes, 29 subcategories, and 10 categories of factors. Sorting the categories according to Grotberg's concepts regarding the sources of resilience yielded 2 “I AM,” 3 “I HAVE,” and 5 “I CAN” categories. “I AM” factors were related to the family's being attached to the child and desiring to keep the child with them at home. “I HAVE” factors were related to the support family members received from one another and those around them who were not health care professionals, and a variety of social support. “I CAN” factors were related to the family's ability to get psychological support, manage day-to-day living, and feel psychologically grounded and contented. These results suggested that support that took these factors into account made it possible for families to raise their medically handicapped children and to provide long-term care at home.
