Functional disabilities increase with ageing and limitations in daily living activities (ADLs) occurred as a consequence. Older people living at home may therefore become dependent on family members in managing activities in daily living. As the informal caregivers' role is known to be challenging, their experiences need to be explored to strengthen their new roles as family caregivers. This study aimed at exploring family caregivers' experiences of providing care for older people living at home with limited ADLs in Sri Lanka. Caregivers caring for older people with limitations in activities at home were purposively selected. Limitations in ADL were determined using the Sinhala-validated Barthel Index. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 20 caregivers who cared for older people with several basic self-care limitations. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. The results consist of three themes related to caring for older people with limited ADLs: committed to providing compassionate care for the activity-limited older person, trapped in one's own home by caring for the activity-limited older person and in need of respite and support in caring for older persons with limitations of activity. Motivated to care, adapting to care-giving challenges, changed life pattern, neglecting one's own health, emotional suffering, lack of knowledge and skills and wanting assistance in care-giving and with financial support were resultant subthemes. Family caregivers of older people with limited activities living at home, face many challenges to their own health. Supporting interventions will therefore be necessary. An introduction of educational training programmes for informal caregivers would promote the health and well-being of functionally disabled older people and their caregivers. Developing home-based care will be a future solution since the availability of informal caregivers will be at risk due to a rapid increase in older people and social changes related to the family structure.

中文翻译：

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活动受限老年人的家庭照顾者的经验：一项定性研究

功能障碍随着年龄的增长而增加，因此日常生活活动 (ADL) 受限。因此，住在家里的老年人可能会依赖家庭成员来管理日常生活活动。众所周知，非正式照料者的角色具有挑战性，因此需要探索他们的经验，以加强他们作为家庭照料者的新角色。本研究旨在探索家庭护理人员为斯里兰卡日常生活能力有限的居家老年人提供护理的经验。有目的地选择照顾在家活动受限的老年人的护理人员。使用僧伽罗语验证的 Barthel 指数确定 ADL 的限制。数据是通过对 20 名照料有几项基本自我照顾限制的老年人的照料者进行深入访谈而收集的。使用主题分析对数据进行分析。结果包括与照顾日常生活能力受限的老年人相关的三个主题：致力于为活动受限的老年人提供富有同情心的护理，因照顾活动受限的老年人而被困在自己的家中，需要喘息和支持照顾活动受限的老年人。由此产生的副主题是有动力去照料、适应照料挑战、改变生活方式、忽视自己的健康、情绪痛苦、缺乏知识和技能以及在照料方面需要帮助和经济支持。居家活动受限的老年人的家庭看护者自身健康面临诸多挑战。因此，支持性干预将是必要的。为非正式护理人员引入教育培训计划将促进功能障碍老年人及其护理人员的健康和福祉。发展家庭护理将是未来的解决方案，因为由于老年人口的迅速增加和与家庭结构相关的社会变化，非正式护理人员的可用性将面临风险。