An Exploratory Case Study to Understand Impact of Chronic Illness

Abstract

The paper is about a case study performed on a patient with chronic illness and his family. Two unstructured interviews were taken from the patient and his family members. One to one interview method was adopted to explore about the challenges, distresses and coping styles followed by the family. Analysis of the interviews was done to understand the in-depth feelings and struggles of the family. The major concerns for the patients were to deal with physical pains, emotional distress, frustration of decapacitation and limitations in personal and social life. Whereas the family was suffering from unending labor of caring for the patient and exhaustion of financial and social resources during the same exercise. It was concluded that this family was coping with the problems with a positive attitude where self-care was being attempted with the addition of seeking help from the social circle and the professional-like counsellor and physician. The patient was also prepared for his limitations and tried to divert himself with music and television while keeping himself busy with work.