Reflections on Methodological Approaches and Conceptual Contributions in a Program of Caregiving Research: Development and Testing of Wuest’s Theory of Family Caregiving

Abstract

Caregiving by family members, particularly women, is a societal expectation that is intensifying in the context of an aging population and health care restructuring. Our program of caregiving research spans two decades, moving from inductive theory development using grounded theory methods to deductive theory testing. In this article, we reflect on the serendipitous development of this program of research methodologically and conceptually. We summarize the key conceptual contributions that the program has made to caregiving knowledge, particularly with respect to the past relationship between care recipient and caregiver, obligation to care, caregiver agency, and relationships between caregivers and the health care system.