Republic of the Philippines

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CHAPTER 3

METHODOLOGY

This chapter explains the methodology that was adopted in the process of

conducting the study titled Lived Experiences, Barriers, and Support Needs of

Family Caregivers of Geriatric Clients in Nabua, Camarines Sur. It explains the

research design, locale of the study, respondents of study, research instrument,

and data gathering procedure. Additionally, it describes the ethical considerations

that were followed in order to render credibility, trustworthiness, and integrity of

the study.

Research Design

The research design utilized in this study was the phenomenological

qualitative research design as it suited in research that explores the lived

experiences of people in natural settings. Phenomenology as a qualitative

strategy attempts to explain and clarify the meaning experiences they undergo,

to describe the nature of their realities (Neubauer, Witkop, and Varpio, 2019).

This research design was considered appropriate to the current research

because it was intended to understand the lived experiences, barriers, and

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support needs of the family caregivers of geriatric clients specifically residing in

San Antonio, Poblacion, Nabua, Camarines Sur.

The phenomenological approach also allowed the researcher to explore

the subjective experiences of family caregivers and in the process, gain a deeper

insight into the challenges experienced by them and the coping mechanisms they

use in their caregiving duties. In comparison to quantitative approaches, which

focus on measuring variables, this method gave the possibility to explore

personal meanings, emotions, and values attached to the experience of care

giving. By doing so, the study aimed at discovering the obstacles that inhibit

effective caregiving, and the intrinsic and extrinsic support systems that are

considered significant by the participants.

Moreover, phenomenology was used, which meant that the study did not

give precedence to the voices of the participants, and their stories led the

interpretation and analysis. This was not meant to generalize the findings, but

rather to bring out the richness, depth and complexity of the phenomenon of care

giving in its cultural and social context. This method therefore gave a blueprint of

a comprehensive realization of what lay before the family caregivers of geriatric

clients in the selected locality.

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Locale of the Study

The study was conducted at San Antonio Poblacion, Nabua, Camarines

Sur, one of the central barangays in the municipality of Nabua. Nabua is a first-

grade municipality in the province of Camarines Sur, historically referred to as

the “Mother of All Bicol Towns” because it was one of the earliest settlements in

Bicol Region and it consists of 42 barangays; one of them is the San Antonio

Poblacion. It is located in the Rinconada District (5th Congressional District),

surrounded by other neighboring municipalities - Baao, Bato, and Balatan. The

municipality is linked by Maharlika Highway to the Regional Center of Naga City

and Provincial Capital of Pili. The municipality of Nabua comprises of 96.20

square miles of land according to PhilAtlas. (2020), which represents 1.75% of

the total area of Camarines Sur. According to the 2020 Census of Population and

Housing, the total population of Nabua is 86,490 people referred to as Nabuenos.

This was 4.18% of the total population of Camarines Sur Province or 1.42% of

the total population of Bicol Region, using these figures, the population density is

calculated at 899 inhabitants per square kilometer or 2,329 inhabitants per

square mile. Furthermore, San Antonio Poblacion Nabua, Camarines Sur with

population of 2,839 or 3.28%, is one of the central barangays, thus substantial

percentage of population, as it is densely inhabited and urbanized. The barangay

of San Antonio Poblacion features close residential quarters where extended

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families tend to live closely, due to the Filipino culture of intergenerational family,

which is directly linked to the practice of taking care for the geriatric patients.

Concerning the socio-economic profile, the population of the San Antonio

Poblacion is involved in a combination of small-scale entrepreneurship like sari-

sari stores, trade related to agriculture like farming, transportation services like

tricycle drivers, and paid laborers. Some households benefit from regular jobs or

remittances sent by family members working abroad, but most rely on modest

earnings which may be stretched by the costs of healthcare and caregiving for

their geriatric patients. This socio-economic context directly affects the dynamics

of caregiving because the family members are sometimes involved with

livelihood function, in addition to taking care of their aged ones, especially to

those geriatric patients with long-term illnesses or conditions.

The purpose behind locating the study at San Antonio Poblacion, Nabua,

Camarines Sur, is due to the fact that the area represents the challenges and

reality that many Filipino families with older relatives or family members struggle

with. The research aims to generate context-specific insight, capture a more

detailed and grounded understanding of the lived experiences, barriers, and

support needs of family caregivers of San Antonio Poblacion. There is a

significant population of aged people in the barangay and caring is generally

carried out by family members owing to the cultural requirement of filial piety. The
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fact that there are many elderly people in the San Antonio Poblacion underscores

the increasing demand of providing family-based caregiving at the household

level, which makes it a suitable place to develop the lived experience of the

family caregivers. This way, San Antonio Poblacion is not just an appropriate

location but also an essential location to bring attention to the voices and realities

of family caregivers who are still at the center of geriatric care. Finally, an

understanding of the caregiving realities in this barangay will contribute towards

the development of responsive, culturally sensitive, and community-based

intervention to combat the issues of the family caregivers of geriatric patients.

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Figure 3. Locale of the Study

Participants of the Study

Participants of this qualitative study are family caregivers of geriatric clients

whose ages from 60 years old and above, living in San Antonio Poblacion,

Nabua, Camarines Sur. The participants will be chosen using purposive sampling

because they are the ones giving care and have crucial information about the

lived experiences, barriers, and the support needs that come with giving care.

Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria

Clear selection criteria were essential for ensuring that the data collected

are both relevant and meaningful. The inclusion criteria are as follows:

1. Family caregivers who are 18 years and above

a. This guarantees that participants are legally in a position to give informed

consent and have a comprehensive understanding of the ethical aspects

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of the study. Adults have a better chance of having the maturity and

thoughtfulness to put caregiving experiences into words in a way that adds

richness to the study findings.

2. Currently serving as the primary caregiver of a geriatric client aged 60

years and above

a. Primary caregivers have the most direct responsibility for daily care, such

as personal, emotional, financial, and healthcare activities.

3. Providing care actively at the time of the study

a. This is a requirement that ensures the data is accurate in terms of current

caregiving situations, eliminating recall bias that can be caused by

previous caregiving experiences.

4. Voluntary willingness to participate

a. Only those who willingly offer themselves are recruited, consistent with

ethical values of autonomy and respect. Willing participants are more

likely to offer genuine, clear, and significant accounts, enhancing the

quality of data.

5. Ability to communicate experiences effectively

a. Makes narratives unambiguous, readable, and exploitable within the study

paradigm. By using only those participants that are able to communicate

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in the local language or any that they are accustomed to, the research

minimizes misunderstanding and maximizes authenticity of information.

The exclusion criteria are:

1. Caregivers under 18 years of age

a. Children are a vulnerable group and may not possess the legal or mental

capacity to give informed consent. Their involvement could be ethically

and legally problematic, necessitating exclusion in order to safeguard their

interests.

2. Secondary or occasional caregivers

a. Individuals providing care only episodically might have insufficient

experience with the entire range of caregiving duties. Omitting them

guarantees that conclusions are drawn from those with ongoing and

extensive caregiving roles.

3. Caregivers for clients below the age of 60

a. This guarantees that the study is kept centered on geriatric caregiving,

which entails unique health, emotional, and social care needs.

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4. Reluctant or resistant participants

a. Autonomy requires that individuals who refuse to participate or feel

uneasy in sharing experiences should be excluded.

5. Caregivers with severe communication and cognitive impairments

a. Their involvement could interfere with gathering clear and analyzable

stories, which are fundamental in qualitative studies.

Research Instrument

In order to gather the required data, as well as to communicate with the

researchers, a semi-structured interview guide questionnaire will be used as the

key data collection tool. The primary research instrument will be a form of open-

ended-written questionnaires complemented by semi-structured interviews to be

distributed for individuals to explore the life experiences, barriers and support

needs of the family caregivers of geriatric clients. To provide caregivers with time

to reflect and describe their answers at length, the written questionnaire will form

the basis of initial considerations, and the unstructured interviews will give the

opportunity to explore topics raised in greater depth, as it is the goal of

phenomenological study to capture personal meaning and subjective

experiences (Neller et al., 2024). This will highlight that standardized tools do not
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represent the whole picture of caregiving, and that open and flexible approaches

allow caregivers to communicate themselves, their feelings, and difficulties in a

real and unrestricted manner.

Semi-Structured Interview

The primary method of data collection for this study will be the semi-

structured interview, which has become one of the most widely used

techniques in qualitative research. Unlike structured interviews, which restrict

participants to fixed responses, semi-structured interviews allow for the use of

pre-determined guiding questions while leaving room for participants to narrate

their experiences in their own words. This flexibility makes the method

particularly suitable for phenomenological research, where the aim is to uncover

the depth and complexity of lived experiences (DeJonckheere & Vaughn, 2019;

Brinkmann & Kvale, 2022). The use of semi-structured interviews is grounded in

both methodological appropriateness and empirical precedent. Studies in

nursing, caregiving, and gerontology have consistently shown that semi-

structured interviews facilitate rich, nuanced accounts of lived realities, especially

when dealing with sensitive or emotionally charged topics (Adeoye-Olatunde &

Olenik, 2021; Jamshed, 2020). By balancing consistency with openness, they

ensure that while every participant is asked about key themes (e.g., caregiving
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burdens, barriers to support, coping strategies), they are also free to introduce

issues that are personally meaningful to them. This approach ensures that no

important themes are missed simply because they were not anticipated by the

researcher.

Data Collection Method

The data collection process in this study will be designed to ensure that

the voices of family caregivers of geriatric clients in Nabua, Camarines Sur will

be documented in a manner that is rich, detailed, and true to their lived

experiences. Sur will be recorded in such a way that it is rich, detailed and true to

their lived experiences. This research design will be based on qualitative

phenomenological inquiry, which aims to define what the experience is about in

the words of individuals themselves.

According to Williams (2021), phenomenology focuses on exploring the

meanings that participants attribute to their own lives, which makes it an ideal

approach to research when the researcher needs to know more about the

challenges and supports related to caregiving. Unlike other approaches that may

attempt to test hypotheses or measure variables, phenomenology seeks to

uncover subjective realities through careful exploration of participants’ narratives

(Englander & Morley, 2023). By emphasizing lived experiences, this approach is

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particularly relevant to understanding family caregivers, who navigate both

personal and social challenges in providing care to elderly loved ones.

Since this study will employ a qualitative phenomenological design, the

most appropriate strategy will be the use of in-depth, semi-structured interviews.

An interview guide will be prepared with open-ended questions aligned with the

objectives of the study, covering three domains: (1) lived caregiving experiences,

(2) barriers and challenges encountered, and (3) perceived support needs. The

flexibility of this format ensures that caregivers can freely share narratives in their

own words while allowing the researcher to probe for clarification or deeper

detail. As Alhazmi and Kaufmann (2022) explain,

phenomenological interviews are adaptable to diverse contexts and allow rich

descriptions to emerge when participants feel comfortable narrating their own

realities.

Each interview is expected to last between 45 minutes to one hour,

though the actual duration will depend on participants’ comfort and willingness to

share. With participants’ explicit permission, interviews will be audio-recorded to

ensure accuracy. These recordings will later undergo verbatim transcription,

where every word, pause, and utterance will be carefully documented. As Bird

(2020) stresses, transcription is not simply a mechanical act but a central phase

of qualitative analysis, because it immerses the researcher in the data and

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makes nuances visible that may otherwise be overlooked. Transcribing the

interviews personally will also allow the researcher to reflect on participants’

words and begin the process of interpretation.

To enrich the data, the researcher will also prepare field notes. Field notes

are an indispensable tool in qualitative inquiry because they capture elements of

the research encounter that cannot be recorded in audio. These will include

descriptive notes that document physical settings, body language, and emotional

expressions; reflective notes that record the researcher’s impressions and

potential biases; and methodological notes that explain adjustments made during

interviews, such as rephrasing questions or handling interruptions. Phillippi and

Lauderdale (2018) emphasize that field notes preserve context and non-verbal

dimensions of data, which are essential for understanding the fullness of lived

experience.

Confidentiality

Confidentiality will be upheld as a fundamental ethical responsibility

throughout this study, recognizing the sensitive and deeply personal nature of

caregiving experiences. To protect participants’ identities, the researcher will

employ pseudonyms, which are fictitious names or identifiers used in place of

real names. This ensures that while participants’ stories are shared in transcripts

and reports, their actual identities remain hidden. As Kaiser (2020) notes,
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pseudonymization is a widely accepted practice in qualitative research because it

allows the preservation of authentic narratives while removing identifying details.

The use of pseudonyms will extend across all forms of data, including transcripts,

field notes, and final reports, ensuring that no participant can be directly

identified. To further strengthen this protection, a master list linking pseudonyms

to real identities will be maintained separately from research materials in a

secure file accessible only to the principal researcher. Signed consent forms,

which contain names and signatures, will also be stored securely in a locked

cabinet, distinct from anonymized research data.

Alongside pseudonymization, strict data security procedures will be

observed. Audio recordings, transcripts, and electronic field notes will be stored

on a password-protected computer, while backup copies will be saved on an

encrypted flash drive. No files will be uploaded to cloud-based services to

minimize the risk of breaches. In presenting findings, the researcher will

generalize contextual details, such as specific locations or unique caregiving

circumstances, to prevent indirect identification. These practices align with the

British Psychological Society’s (2021) guidelines, which emphasize the ethical

importance of safeguarding participants’ privacy throughout the research

process. In doing so, this study will protect the dignity and trust of caregivers

while ensuring that their voices are represented with authenticity and care.
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Data Analysis Method

The data analysis in this study will follow thematic analysis guided by

Colaizzi’s phenomenological method, a well-established approach in qualitative

inquiry that combines systematic rigor with sensitivity to participants’ lived

experiences. Thematic analysis is a flexible yet structured technique that allows

the researcher to identify, analyze, and report recurring patterns across

narratives, while Colaizzi’s method provides a phenomenological framework that

ensures findings remain faithful to participants’ voices and the essence of their

lived realities (Allman et al., 2023). The integration of these two approaches

strengthens the analytic process by balancing structure with depth, allowing the

study to move from raw data to a rich understanding of caregiving in the local

context.

The process will begin with the verbatim transcription of all interviews,

where each spoken word, pause, and non-verbal utterance will be documented

carefully. Transcription will be treated as more than a technical task; it will serve

as the first stage of analysis, immersing the researcher in the data and helping to

capture nuances that may not be immediately evident during the interview itself

(Bird, 2020). Alongside the transcripts, the researcher will also review field notes,

which record observations of participants’ emotional expressions, body language,

and environmental context. Reading transcripts and field notes together will
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support immersion, a stage in which the researcher becomes intimately familiar

with the content of participants’ accounts. This step is critical in

phenomenological research because it allows the researcher to engage not only

with the literal words spoken but also with the meanings, emotions, and contexts

that shape participants’ experiences.

Following immersion, the researcher will identify significant statements—

sentences, phrases, or passages that directly relate to the phenomenon of

caregiving. Each significant statement will be highlighted and extracted into a

separate document for analysis. The researcher will then interpret each

statement to derive its formulated meaning, a step that requires careful reflection

to ensure meanings are captured without imposing external assumptions. This

process allows raw data to be transformed into conceptual insights while

remaining grounded in participants’ words.

The next step will involve clustering these formulated meanings into

themes. Themes are broader categories that capture shared elements across

different participants’ experiences. For instance, individual meanings related to

lack of sleep, loss of personal time, and constant vigilance might cluster into a

theme of “emotional and physical strain.” Other clusters may include themes

such as “financial burden” or “coping through faith.” By grouping meanings into

themes, the researcher will begin to see how individual experiences reflect
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broader patterns of caregiving, while still respecting the uniqueness of each

narrative.

Once themes have been established, they will be woven into an

exhaustive description of the caregiving experience. This narrative will integrate

the different themes into a holistic account, capturing the complexity of caregiving

by highlighting both struggles and strengths. For example, the exhaustive

description may reveal how emotional strain is mitigated by strong spiritual faith,

or how financial burdens are endured through collective family support. The

exhaustive description will then be distilled into the fundamental structure of

caregiving, a concise articulation of the essence of the phenomenon in this

context. This distilled structure represents the core meaning that transcends

individual differences while remaining faithful to participants’ lived experiences.

To ensure that the findings are accurate and credible, the researcher will

conduct member checking with selected participants. This involves sharing the

preliminary interpretations and themes with participants to confirm whether the

analysis resonates with their actual experiences. As Lloyd et al. (2024) and

McKim (2023) emphasize, member checking enhances the credibility of

qualitative research by ensuring that findings are not simply the researcher’s

interpretations but are validated by those who lived the experiences. This
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process not only strengthens trustworthiness but also empowers participants by

involving them in shaping how their stories are represented.

Finally, phenomenological analysis acknowledges that individual

experiences are unique, yet also interconnected through shared meanings. As

Englander and Morley (2023) argue, phenomenological analysis bridges the gap

between subjective accounts and collective insights, offering a nuanced

understanding of both the individual and the universal dimensions of human

experience. By following Colaizzi’s method, this study will illuminate the deeper

meanings embedded in the caregiving role, ensuring that participants’ voices

remain central while producing findings that are rigorous, meaningful, and

reflective of the caregiving realities in Nabua, Camarines Sur.

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