Disability and Caregiving: A Pastoral Care and Counselling Perspective

Contents: Foreword. Preface. 1. Introduction and Methodology. 2. A Theoretical Framework on Disability. 3. Stress and Coping Patterns of the Primary Caregivers. 4. Caregiving in the Bible: A Theological Exploration. 5. Analysis of the Empirical Data. 6. Major Findings: Examining the Validity of the Hypotheses. 7. Ministry Towards Primary Caregivers of Persons with Disabilities: Implications for Pastoral Care and Counselling. General Conclusion. Bibliography.

This book deals with stress and coping patterns among primary caregivers in the context of the growing population of persons with disabilities (PWDs) and the resulting challenges faced by caregivers in Nagaland. Despite advancements in medical health facilities and the various provisions enacted for PWDs, they have been deprived of their rights, while primary caregivers continue to experience stress due to the higher demand for caring the dependent persons. To deal with the growing stress, primary caregivers often employ various coping patterns such as emotion-focused, problem-focused, meaning-focused, relationship-focused, spiritual-focused, and social support. As family caregivers are the primary units of support for PWDs, the pastoral ministry of the church has ample opportunities to facilitate wholeness in their lives amidst the stressful tasks of caregiving.