Beyond Hardships: Resilience, Opportunities and Positive Experiences of Older Informal Caregivers in Aotearoa New Zealand During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted healthcare and social services, increasing pressure on informal caregivers who provided essential, unpaid care to family members, partners, friends, and neighbors. While much of the existing research emphasizes the challenges and burdens of informal caregiving, this descriptive qualitative study highlights the resilience, opportunities, and positive experiences of older informal caregivers in Aotearoa New Zealand. Drawing on in-depth interviews with 81 older informal caregivers aged 57-88, recruited from across Aotearoa New Zealand, this study explores how participants navigated heightened caregiving responsibilities, reduced access to support, and increased isolation during the pandemic. Findings reveal that participants employed diverse strategies to maintain care continuity, strengthen relationships with care recipients, and leverage both preexisting and emergent community and personal resources. Many participants attributed their ability to adapt to lifelong experiences, self-efficacy, and social environmental changes, highlighting the importance of a more balanced and critical approach to recognizing older informal caregivers not only as vulnerable and overburdened but also as active agents in care provision. By highlighting both challenges and positives, this study offers a nuanced perspective on the role of informal caregiving in sustainable care and community resilience amid population aging and workforce shortages in the care industry worldwide.