Crisis y final del dominio romano

Several coping strategies were identified in a study conducted in Pakistan on individuals who had a child with a severe learning disability with or without additional physical or sensory disabilities. These include sharing care with others in the immediate family, accepting support from the extended family, being proactive in taking control of their child’s care, maintaining interests outside the home, avoiding difficult situations by not taking their disabled child to crowded places, changing their ideas about disability, inner conviction in the initial stages of the child’s life that they should look after their child without external help, and finally recognising the personal satisfaction they got from taking care of their child, which strengthened their relationship (Croot et al., 2012:1543).

Paster et al. (2009:1341) examined what coping strategies are used by parents of children with and without disabilities. The eight types of coping strategies identified in the study are planful problem solving, seeking social support, confrontive coping, distancing, self-control, escaping avoidance, accepting responsibility, and positive reappraisal.

There are various coping mechanisms that family caregivers of persons with physical disabilities in this study have been using to cope with the added responsibility of caregiving. These coping mechanisms can be categorised into outings, recreational activities, personal time (distancing) and socialising (social support).

4.4.5.1 Sub-theme 5.1: Outings

Croot et al. (2012:1543) identified being able to maintain interests outside the home as a coping mechanism.

psychological need identified by Pelentsov et al. (2015:489), which could affect their ability to cope with the caregiving role.

The participants in this study stated that they sometimes take some time to get out of their community. During this time, they will do activities such as shopping, eating out, taking a drive, dancing, taking a train to Kalk Bay or taking short vacations:

Participant 1: “As sy pa nou hier is dan gaan ek winkels toe of as daar miskien nou ’n partytjie is dan

is hier nou iemand, die nader seun, dan gaan ons om die aand te gaan geniet. ”[If his

dad is here then I will go to the shops or maybe if there is a party, the other son will be here, then we go out to enjoy the evening.]

Participant 08: “Ek gaan dans ’n bietjie. . .As die geleentheid daar is, so een keer ’n maand.” [I go danicing. . .when there is an opportunity, about once a month.]

Participant 13: “Dinsdae dan kan pensioenarisse nou verniet ry op die trein van nege-uur af. . .dan ry

ek tot in Kalkbaai en dan loop ek daar bietjie rond en so op die hawe, kyk bietjie na die see en die visskuite wat so ry en die robbe wat so in die water is. . .Nou daar is ook ’n vis en tjips plek daar waar jy kan gaan eet en ja. Dan koop ek vir my ’n botteltjie ‘cooldrink’ en vir my ’n vis en tjips en so aan.” [Tuesdays pensioners can travel by

train for free after 9 o’clock. . .then I go to Kalk Bay and walk around there in the harbour, look at the seaand watch the boats and the seals in thewater...Now there is a fish and chips place where you can eat. Then I buy myself a cooldrink and fish and chips.]

Participant 17: “Of ‘sometimes’ gaan ek Stellenbosch toe vir ’n dag. Daai gebeur altyd hier by

Desember-maande. Dan voel ek, ek het nie lus vir die huis nie. Die plekkie raak vir my te klein. Dan vat ek die kinders, dan gaan ons. . .Dan sal ek my suster laat ogie hou hierso. . .” [Or sometimes I go to Stellenbosch for the day. That usually happens in

December. Then I do not feel like staying at home anymore. The place gets too small. Then I take the kids and then we go. Then I ask my sister to keep an eye out here.]

Murphy et al. (2007:184) found that one of the common methods of relaxation for caregivers of person with disabilities was shopping. This could act as an ‘escape’ from their caregiving role as described by the participants in this study as well.

4.4.5.2 Sub-theme 5.2: Recreational activities and hobbies

Taanila et al. (2002:81) note that the parents in their study thought that their hobbies had helped them to cope with the stressful situation caused by caring for their child.

If it was not possible to go somewhere, participants would do some recreational activities at home such as gardening, watching TV, playing computer games, doing housework or cooking:

Participant 5: “Like if I feel today that I need to do my gardening or whatever, I go outside; she does

her own thing inside.”

Participant 10: “. . . meeste van die tyd is ons maar huislike persone voor die televisie, besig om rugby

te kyk. Dis ook deel van ons ontspanning.” [. . .most of the time we are homely people

in front of the television, busy watching rugby. That is also part of our relaxation.] Participant 13: “Ek . . .kyk. . .byvoorbeeld nou op televisie...ek hou van die WWE wrestling. . .En ek het

soortvan ’n ‘game’ op die rekenaar wat ek speel teen die rekenaar...ek luister radio ook en die musiek om my aandag bietjie af te lei.” [I. . .watch television. . .I like WWE

wrestling. . .and I have a game on the computer that I play against the computer. . .I listen to the radio as well and music to distract me from everything.]

Participant 18: “Ek sal miskien gaan lê of boek lees. . .As ek klaar is met werk dan sal ek die meeste

van die tyd voel ek wil ’n bietjie rus. Ek sal natuurlik saans vir ’n uur of twee by die TV sit en. . .ek doen my eie huiswerk. Ek was, ek stryk, ek maak skoon, ek maak vensters skoon. . .” [Maybe I will lie down and read. . .if I’m done with my work I always feel I

need a bit of rest. I will obviously watch TV in theevening for anhour or two. . .I do my own housework. I wash, iron, clean and wash the windows. . .]

Participant 19: “So vir my is dit absoluut my diere. . .uhm. . .ek meen dit is terapeuties. En ek doen

joga. . .uhm. . .Luister musiek. Ek doen meditasie. . .” [So for me it is absolutely my

animals. . .uhm. . .I mean it is therapeutic. And I do yoga. . .uhm. . .I listen to music. I do meditation. . .]

Taanila et al. (2002:81) emphasise that it is important for parents of persons with physical disabilities to have time for themselves and their hobbies. They found that the parents who kept their hobbies thought that their hobbies had helped them to cope with the stressful situation caused by the child with disability. It seemed that participants in this study also found ways to continue their hobbies.

4.4.5.3 Sub-theme 5.3: Socialising

Some coping mechanisms that caregivers may useare support groups, respite care, psycho-education, social support, and close relationships (Broodryk, 2014:7-8).

Emphasising the importance of a good support system, many participants stated that they relied on visits to and from friends and family and talks with their spouses to help cope with caring for a person with a physical disability.

Participant 3: “. . .ek gaan net na my suster toe in Mitchell’s Plain. . . Nou as ek by haar is dan praat

ek, dan kom alles uit. Net met my suster.” [. . .I go to my sister in Mitchell’s Plain. . .

Now when I am with her, I talk about everything. Just with my sister.]

Participant 5: “I go now and again to a friend of mine just to have a cup of coffee like half an hour

because then my son is at home, you see. . .uhm. . .other than that, I don’t really get a break.”

Participant 6: “. . . we normally sit outside and talk about everything. Here over weekends. Then I run

to my neighbour and talk nonsense to him but that’s about it. And then now and again my wife goes to her mother or sisters.”

The need for social interaction is seen by Pelentsov et al. (2015:489) as a social need. In Sub-themes 1.1 and 1.2 the significance of these support systems to the participants in this study was identified.

4.4.5.4 Sub-theme 5.4: Personal time

Murphy et al. (2007:184) found that caregivers of children with disabilities coped with the daily responsibilities by taking 10 to 15-minute breaks, taking mini-naps, or just sometimes ‘having a good cry’.

Some participants indicated that they made use of personal time to rejuvenate and cope. Their personal time consisted of praying, sleeping, reading, exercising or meditating.

Participant 2: “. . .ek bid. . .of ek gaan slaap. . .” [. . .I pray. . .or I go to sleep.]

Participant 7: “Ek gaan gewoonlik bietjie loop lê in die middag, ek loop lees, somtyds dan loop ek net.” [I usually go lie down in the afternoon, I go read, sometimes I just go take a walk.]

In a study by Palisano et al. (2010:89) it was found that 50.8% of parents identified the need to have more personal time. Although some of the participants could find time for themselves to cope with their caregiving role, many indicated that this was still a need (see Themes 3 and 4).

4.5 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE EXPERIENCES OF FAMILY