Download or read book Family Caregiving in Mental Illness written by Harriet P. Lefley and published by SAGE Publications, Incorporated. This book was released on 1996-01-19 with total page 280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With the trend of deinstitutionalization, family members are finding themselves increasingly in the position of primary caregivers to mentally ill adults - a role for which they are often untrained and unprepared. This volume explores the experiences of these caregivers. The author: discusses the characteristics and conceptual models related to mental illness; surveys the experience of mental illness in the context of the family life cycle and developmental stages of the illness; appraises the burdens on the family including social stigma, refusal of treatment, stress and the relationship between the mentally ill and caregivers within the family; and reviews family responses including coping strategies and professional and