Caregivers’ experiences obtaining food during their child’s hospital admission
| Theme | Subtheme | Representative quotes |
|---|---|---|
| Financial burden | Food is too expensive | “The food in the hospital is too expensive. To eat even 2 meals a day will cost about $30. If you’re here for a week that’s over $200. It makes it hard.” (SN 37) “I think I cut back on what I choose to eat while in hospital just because we don’t eat out much and the price to eat out 3 meals a day gets expensive and I don’t want to go broke eating out.” (SN 155) “Food at the hospital is very expensive I’ve only been here 2 weeks now and spent over $200 so far I can only imagine how much more money it would cost me without support it is possible to run quickly into financial issues.” (SN 385) |
| Caregivers sacrifice their own food | “I didn’t eat for the first day, second day only one sandwich and so expensive to buy.” (SN 94) “We skip at least one meal or more to afford a long stay.” (SN 274) “I am just eating eggs and chocolate bars as my food in the hospital.” (SN 122) | |
| Financial stress | “Hospital food options are expensive and unaffordable during long hospital stays. Between parking and food, it puts a financial strain when your child’s medical expenses exceed your household income.” (SN 133) “Over the years I definitely went without food during hospital admission because I otherwise wouldn’t have had the money to get my car out of the parking lot when my son would be discharged.” (SN 147) “My children have complex medical needs however because of my income I do not qualify for any financial support. I have 5 children, 3 with medical needs. I sometimes avoid taking them to hospital because financially I cannot afford it.” (SN 28) | |
| Emotional and practical barriers | Difficulty leaving the child | “At times it is very hard to get downstairs during the times it is open (my son has high needs and can’t just stay with a volunteer).” (SN 400) “I do not feel comfortable leaving my child without parent’s eyes on him and the nurse so as a result I packed food as best I could for 4 days.” (SN 30) “It has been a bit challenging because I have to call a nurse to stay with my child while I get something to eat, and do understand they are extremely busy.” (SN 131) |
| COVID-19 restrictions | “We had an odd situation due to COVID due to lack of available options, inability to leave the hospital and getting care for our daughter to go downstairs and get food. We both skipped meals as they were not as accessible.” (SN 24) “Especially with COVID, security measures are high and parents can’t freely walk around. A meal program would be great for all families and their physical and mental health.” (SN 253) “I couldn’t go and get a gift card to order food because we couldn’t leave the room. No offers to help with that [were] made. I went 2 days without eating.” (SN 126) | |
| Lack of information | “There is unclear information about having meals sent to the room for the parents, and there are no prices attached to the menus, so ordering from the meal train is impossible.” (SN 380) “When my child was admitted there was no guidance given to help me get food for myself.” (SN 126) “Only today was she told that an exception is made and as my daughter is under 6 months and can’t actually eat the Food Train food, it was offered to my Mrs. She had one meal all of today as she wasn’t allowed to go out of the room.” (SN 201) | |
| Caregiver stress | “The stress of having a child admitted in the hospital is enough on top of worrying about getting yourself meals throughout the day while trying to care for your child. Especially being one parent for the child, during a pandemic.” (SN 53) “In high-stress situations, such as having a child in a hospital, the last thing parents think about is feeding themselves.” (SN 253) “It doesn’t make sense not to offer or feed the parent that is staying in hospital with the child. If the parent isn’t strong or has the energy how can they help their child recover or be of assistance to the doctors and nurses?” (SN 347) | |
| Advocacy for food for caregivers | “I hope this will help other families with regards to obtaining food from the hospital who have been staying there for a longer period of time. Never have I imagined in my life that I will get a food voucher from a stranger. I know how it is to be in need, especially as essential as food. So, if you can help them with this — that will be awesome!” (SN 782) “It doesn’t make sense not to offer or feed the parent that is staying in the hospital with the child. If the parent isn’t strong or has energy — how can they help their child recover or be of assistance to doctors or nurses?” (SN 347) “A meal program/discount for overnight/extended stay would be so beneficial for families and we are shocked that it is not already in place.” (SN 253) |
Note: SN = study number