Gemengde gevoelens: ervaringen van mantelzorgers van mensen met een verstandelijke en psychische beperking met professionele zorg- en dienstverleners

Informal caregivers of psychologically or mentally disabled: experiences withprofessionals

Caring for someone with a mental or psychological disability often means an unending commitment to care simply because the disabilities exhibit themselves for the lifetime of those afflicted. Hence, informal caregivers of these two categories care often longer en more intense in comparison to general caregivers. In a qualitative research 31 caregivers were interviewed about their experiences, including those with professionals. They have mixed feelings about them. There is genuine gratitude about e.g. the knowledge and commitment some professionals exhibit. One of the main points of critique is that many professionals do not incorporate the experience of informal caregivers in their approach. Hence, the plea that a contextual family orientated approach should be at the core of professionals work in health care and social work.

Key words: Informal care, psychological disabled, mentally disabled, professional caregivers