Relatives’ Experiences of Care and Caregivers in a Psychiatric Caring Context

Abstract

Reform of psychiatric care in Sweden, meant to improve support and coordination of care for people with mental illness, has passed much of the rehabilitation and daily care of these people on to their families. This study explores the psychiatric health care system as experienced by family members of people with mental illness. We conducted 18 tape-recorded interviews with close relatives of people with mental illness in the health care district in northem Sweden. The results show that they feel guilty about not providing enough support for their relatives, they are unsure of where to go for support and answers to their questions about their relative's diagnosis, prognosis, proposed date of discharge from hospital, and rehabilitation requirements. Most also feel the need of professional therapy for themselves. Serious criticism was levelled against the current reforms to psychiatric care in Sweden, which family members experienced as discontinuous and inconsistent between the different levels of municipal, county, and national health care and social services.