Perceptions of Leisure by Family Caregivers: A Profile

Therapeutic Recreation Journal, Fourth Quarter 2004 by Bedini, Leandra A, Phoenix, Terri L

Furthermore, programmers should provide more than just respite time away from carerecipients. Results indicated that in order to be experienced as leisure, it is essential that this time is free of obligations mentally, physically, and emotionally. The respondents of this study indicated that factors such as the influence of their care-recipients, having a child with a disability, and higher levels of required care were associated with reduced value and protection of leisure. Programmers should explore methods to empower these caregivers to increase their perceptions of leisure as a valuable commodity that deserves to be protected. For example, leisure programs for caregivers as well as care-recipients in their homes should be considered by related professionals. The caregivers clearly want leisure but often cannot functionally or emotionally justify outside assistance to pursue it. Outreach programs that go into caregivers homes to provide recreation as well as leisure education services for both caregivers and care-recipients can address some of the mental and physical needs of family caregivers.

These results also suggest that perhaps the respondents' perceptions of financial hardship are more a matter of attitude than actual financial status. If that is the case, then programs should attempt to address the caregivers' own attitudes, value, and access to leisure (activity that is fun), in turn reducing their perceptions of financial hardship. Recreation programmers can work to design leisure education programs through social services as well as medical offices. These programs would be beneficial and address the caregivers' reticence and guilt regarding pursuing their own leisure. With the "sanction" and referral of community medical professionals encouraging leisure education, perhaps caregivers can justify this pursuit.

Recommendations for Research

Further research is indicated for female family caregivers and their leisure. First, a more diverse sample is warranted. This sample was purposely delimited to only females, however, learning more about the sense of entitlement to leisure as well as perceptions of financial hardship from male family caregivers could be useful. Additionally, other types of diversity should be pursued. This sample was predominantly white and married. More needs to be learned about caregivers who are people of color from differing ethnic backgrounds as well as diverse relationships (i.e., same sex partners, grandparents as caregivers).

Several of the results noted how caregivers of children with disabilities were statistically significantly different from the caregivers of adults. Further examination of the caregivers of children with disabilities might yield insight to additional barriers and constraints experienced by this unique group of caregivers.

Another result that seemed to illustrate a type of barrier to caregivers' leisure pursuits was the fact that caregivers in this sample felt that their care-recipients influenced their leisure. This concept should be explored in more depth to determine its full effects on caregiver's leisure as well as the dynamics involved in the process.