Premium
Family Caregiving of Older People with Dementing Illnesses in Nursing Homes: a Lifeline of Special Care
Author(s) -
Fleming A. Andrew
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
australasian journal on ageing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.63
H-Index - 34
eISSN - 1741-6612
pISSN - 1440-6381
DOI - 10.1111/j.1741-6612.1998.tb00056.x
Subject(s) - meaning (existential) , constructive , symbolic interactionism , family member , context (archaeology) , psychology , family caregivers , nursing , nursing homes , perspective (graphical) , constructivist grounded theory , grounded theory , medicine , gerontology , qualitative research , social psychology , sociology , psychotherapist , family medicine , paleontology , social science , process (computing) , computer science , biology , operating system , artificial intelligence
Objective: Explore the meaning of the care given by family caregivers to family members with a dementing illness after their placement in a nursing home. Method: A constructivist approach, informed by symbolic interactionism, and using grounded theory methods, served as the theoretical and analytical underpinnings of this study. In all, 14 family caregivers (predominantly daughters caring for mothers) were interviewed. Results: There is a dual meaning inherent in family caregiving activities in this context. It is perceived as a lifeline of special care for the family member in the nursing home, and is meaningful and constructive for the caregivers themselves. Conclusion: Understanding this ‘;dual’ meaning of family caregiving activities is highly relevant for health care workers and others who interact with family members in the nursing home situation.