Caregiving: Possible Impacts on Roles

Each of us takes on multiple roles every day depending on the environment and the people we are with. We unconsciously switch roles daily. For example, when I am with my child, I take on the role of a mother, so I will adopt certain behaviors specific to that role. Continuing with the example, when I go to the store, I adopt the role of a consumer who is going to pay for her products before leaving, and afterward, I will have coffee with a friend employing other behaviors that are included in my concept of friendship. This simple scenario demonstrates how each of our roles helps us define which behaviors to adopt according to the context. Each of these roles organizes our lives by grouping a set of behaviors adapted to the context. The responsibilities we take on will differ depending on the role we are in.

On the other hand, there is an "ideal" or "typical" trajectory of expected roles depending on the life period we are in. For instance, when I am a child, it is expected that I assume that role and not that of the parent. Over time, we invest in the world and develop other roles in which we engage. Sometimes, we decide to get involved in a role; sometimes, life's circumstances don't really leave us a choice. Also, each of the roles that make up our life influences one another. For example, my role as a mother will influence the decisions I make regarding my professional role.

Thus, caregiving is a role that can disrupt the dynamics of our other roles in a rather unsettling way. That being said, it is very likely to feel confused about having conflicting roles, especially being a child to your parent while also assuming responsibilities traditionally associated with parenthood by taking care of them. Caregiving can come to take up much space and leave less room for other roles.

Potential consequences of these disruptions for the caregiver

Here are some consequences that role changes in the context of caregiving can have on the initial relationship with the person being cared for and on the caregiver themselves.

A loss of identity: it is possible that the caregiver feels fused with the person they care for by constantly meeting their various needs. A loss of the primary relationship with the person being cared for: both the caregiver and the person being cared for may feel that the role changes affect the primary bond that unites them and that it is being neglected and not maintained over time. Overinvolvement that exceeds the autonomy of the person being cared for: changes experienced within roles may lead the caregiver to feel pressured to anticipate the potential needs of the person being cared for and to do more than what the person actually needs. This may partly be due to the precedence of the caregiving role over other roles. Isolation: the caregiver may distance themselves from social activities to constantly watch over the person being cared for, fearing they won't be able to foresee issues and quickly find a solution.

There is also a strong likelihood of experiencing feelings of frustration, sadness, and guilt for having to occupy a role usually associated with that of a "parent" (taking care, ensuring someone else's safety, supervising, etc.), when it was not what was expected when projecting oneself into the caregiving role.