The experience of family caregivers of ventilator-assisted individuals who participated in a pilot web-based peer support program: A qualitative study.

Our results add to the growing body of evidence pointing to the importance of online communities for supporting vulnerable caregivers. The reciprocal element of peer support, where trained mentors and untrained participants both benefit from support, can help sustain peer-support interventions. Despite the challenges of providing care to a VAI, there are facilitators that may help ease the caregiving experience and caregivers can benefit from ongoing support that is tailored to their needs along the caregiving trajectory.