Resolving to Go Forward

Abstract

Little is known about the experiences and needs of family caregivers of Latino/Hispanic individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) during the early years of recovery. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to describe the experiences and identify the informational, decisional, interpersonal, and resource support needs of family caregivers of newly injured Latino/Hispanic individuals with SCI during the first 2 years after undergoing rehabilitation. “Resolving to go forward” was the core category that emerged from two simultaneous processes of “learning to care for” and “getting through” during the initial years as the primary informal caregiver. Most caregivers felt alone and abandoned after the injured person returned home, and experienced barriers to services and resources primarily because of language issues and economic status. We recommend that researchers develop and evaluate culturally appropriate, informal caregiving models to improve outcomes for both Latino individuals with SCI and their family caregivers.