Relationship of family cohesion, family flexibility, family type, and duration of caregiving as perceived by the family caregiver of elderly stroke patients

Stroke is the third leading cause of hospitalization in the United States, the third leading cause of death and the first leading cause of disability. When a family member experiences a stroke and subsequently requires care, someone in the family is most likely to assume the role of caregiver. The purpose of this study was to explore perceived relationships among the variables of family cohesion, family flexibility, family type and duration of caregiving by family caregivers of elderly stroke patients. The Circumplex Model of Marital and Family Systems provided the conceptual framework for the study. Cohesion, flexibility and family type affect family caregiving. A sample of 66 family caregivers was ascertained predominately through the dissemination of recruitment flyers and Snowball sampling technique. Duration of Caregiving was assessed in months and Pearson correlations (r) were examined using the mean Duration of Caregiving in months and Family Cohesion and Family Flexibility. The study demonstrated no significant relationship between the mean Duration of Caregiving and Family Flexibility (r = .114) or Family Cohesion (r = -.095). An ANOVA was computed using Duration of Caregiving and the subcategories of Family Cohesion (p = .021) and the subcategories of Family Flexibility (p = .803). Separating the Duration of Caregiving into cohorts of less than or equal to 6 months and greater than 6 months allowed examination of the categories of Family Type to be examined using Chi Square ( X2 = 2.28, p = .32). Literature supports that families in the mid-range Family Type are more likely to respond to and adhere to nursing and medical regimes.