Re-building relationships after a spinal cord injury: experiences of family caregivers and care recipients

This study explores the challenges faced by individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCI) and their family caregivers in maintaining their relationships after the injury. It identifies factors that contribute to relationship deterioration and strategies used to rebuild and maintain these relationships. The research focuses on understanding the experiences of both the individuals with SCI and their caregivers, including spouses and parents, and the coping mechanisms they employ to adjust to their new lives post-injury. The findings highlight the need for healthcare professionals and support groups to provide education, training, and counseling to assist individuals with SCI and their families in adapting to their new lives and strengthening their relationships.

• 1
  Factors contributing to relationship deterioration include protective behaviors, asymmetrical dependency, loss of sex and intimacy, and difficulty adapting to the injury.
• 2
  Strategies for rebuilding and maintaining relationships involve interdependence, shifting commonalities, adding creativity into routine, and creating a new normal.
• 3
  The study emphasizes the importance of open communication, mutual support, and addressing individual needs to foster healthy caregiving relationships after a spinal cord injury.