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Treating Alcohol and Drug Abuse in the Elderly
Author(s) -
Bird Michael
Publication year - 2004
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.1741-6612.2004.00016.x
Subject(s) - citation , service (business) , library science , substance abuse , media studies , medicine , psychology , gerontology , psychiatry , sociology , business , computer science , marketing
The definitive version is available at www.blackwell-synergy.comObjective: As the first of a three-phase study examining nursing home admissions, the current paper reports on relatives’ subjective experience of admitting an older family member to a nursing home. Methods: Fifty-eight relatives from northern New South Wales (NSW) and South Australia who had admitted a family member into an aged care home were interviewed. Results: A broad range of positive and negative experiences were recounted by relatives who had been involved in a nursing home admission of a family member. Although there was a diversity of responses, a number of common themes were identified in the interviews. These included the inability to cope with supporting an older person, difficulties in finding a nursing home, disheartening admission processes, and a broad range of emotional responses including guilt, distress and relief. Conclusions: Admission of a family member to a nursing home can be a difficult and emotional time for relatives. The complex and sensitive nature of this process highlights the importance of recognition and support for relatives from health care professionals in aged care.Alan Pearson, Rhonda Nay, Bev Taylo