Structural & Social Issues

Theme 4 –   

Structural & Social Issues Affecting Caregiving Families

This section explores the ways in which interviewees and their families have come up against structures and social harms that have negatively impacted their family caregiving. Stigma and discrimination are individual, interpersonal and institutional phenomena which lead to experiences of self-stigmatization, isolation, and institutional marginalization, ultimately resulting in poor health and care outcomes for the whole family.

Family members recall painful experiences of discrimination from their own families or from families they have supported.

Family members and service providers share their experiences of stigma and the harmful ways that it shows up across a variety of social settings for caregiving families.

Family members discuss their thoughts and suggestions for ways that we can better support caregiving families living with mental illness as a society.