The double caregiving experience of middle-aged employed women

Key Points

• This study aims to explore the structures and essential meanings of the double caregiving experience among employed middle-aged women.
• Qualitative study with intentional sampling of 8 women caring for both minor children and elderly parents for over three years.
• Conducted in-depth interviews, averaging 3 sessions per participant, to gather data.
• Analyzed data using Giorgi's interpretative phenomenological methodology.
• Identified 11 emergent themes and 5 essential themes related to the burdens of dual caregiving.
• Key themes highlight the pressures of caregiving impacting personal freedom and career, as well as systemic gaps in support.
• Emphasized the need for policies that consider both caregivers and dependents in care integration.

Abstract