College students' experiences providing care for older family members

Caregiving impacts the postsecondary education and career plans of young adults caring for their aging family members. Little is known about college-aged caregivers' experiences and perceptions of family caregiving, emotional well-being, and relationship quality with family members. An exploratory qualitative study with semi-structured interviews was conducted with 10 college students. The findings revealed that most students had a positive attitude toward providing care to their aging family members, even though there were negative impacts on their education and work life. Students' willingness to continue their caregiving role and strengthen the quality of relationships with care receivers outweighed the difficulties and stress. Implications on providing support and assistance across campus will be addressed.