scholarly journals METAMORFOSIS IN THE LIVES OF ELDERLY PEOPLE CARING FOR DEPENDENT ELDERLY IN BRAZIL

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Girliani Silva de Sousa ◽  
Raimunda Magalhães da Silva ◽  
Amanda Márcia dos Santos Reinaldo ◽  
Christina Cesar Praça Brasil ◽  
Maria Odete Pereira ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Objective: to understand the phenomenon concerning the change in life and routine of elderly family caregivers who care for dependent elderly family members in Brazil. Method: qualitative, exploratory and descriptive study, developed with 33 elderly family caregivers, from June to September 2019, in the cities of Belo Horizonte, Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre, Araranguá, Manaus, Fortaleza and Teresina. Semi-structured interviews were conducted based on the theme of care, facilitating circumstances and difficulties. The analysis of the information was guided by the theoretical-methodological framework of hermeneutics-dialectics. Results: a comprehensive model of the experience of being an elderly caregiver of a dependent elderly family member. This process was part of two categories: "Assuming care" and "Unmet needs". The facilitating circumstances to assume care were positive emotions and bonds with the older person, acceptance of the disease, stable clinical status and support from health professionals, formal caregivers, domestic employees and family support. The difficulties were when the behavior of the dependent elderly becomes aggressive, experiencing loneliness, poor health, social isolation, financial restrictions and absence of social and health support. Conclusion: elderly caregivers are important agents in the exercise of care for the dependent elderly. When they have support, they can perform the care activities and have time to take care of themselves. However, for the most part, these people give up their lives, withdraw from the labor market, isolate themselves and suffer from the lack of material resources and support from health services.

1991 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lennarth Johansson

ABSTRACTThis study is an attempt to explore the dynamics in a group of family caregivers in a small rural setting in Sweden. Thirty-nine caregivers giving extensive help to elderly family members, who were all on the verge of institutionalisation, were interviewed. The results showed that the motives of caring were usually based on feelings of reciprocity and that the perceived burden of care was related to the proximity of the carer to the person cared for. Despite the existence of a rather well-developed system of formal care, these resources were poorly coordinated with the informal provision of care.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abu Sikder ◽  
Francis Yang ◽  
Rhiana Schafer ◽  
Glenna A. Dowling ◽  
Lara Traeger ◽  
...  

Objectives: Due to psychological and physical strain, family caregivers of patients with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias are at high risk for depression and stress related disorders. We investigated the feasibility of a mobile application (App) intervention delivering Mentalizing Imagery Therapy (MIT), which incorporates guided imagery and mindfulness, to facilitate self-regulation and increase perspective on the mental life of self and others. Method: A 4-week pilot trial of an MIT App for family caregivers of people with dementia was conducted to assess feasibility of use, mood and depression symptom benefit, and relationship changes. Semi-structured interviews were conducted at the study’s conclusion to characterize participants’ perceived benefits. Results: 80% of 21 consented participants downloaded the App, utilized it at least once, and were further analyzed. Of these participants, average usage of audio recordings was 14 ± 10 (SD) days out of 28 possible, and 29 ± 28 individual sessions. Acute improvement in mood from before to after completion of exercises was uniformly observed (p < .001), and after four weeks there was a significant increase in positive affect and a reduction in negative affect. Participants with severe levels of depression (n=3) at baseline exhibited an improvement in symptoms at 4 weeks averaging 30% (p < .05). Semi-structured interviews revealed an increase in the ability to remain “centered" despite caregiving challenges, take the perspective of the loved one, and positively reframe the caregiver experience.Conclusion: App delivery of MIT is feasible for family dementia caregivers. Results showed moderate to high usage of the app for a majority of the users, and promising improvements in mood and depression. These data provide justification for larger, controlled trials.


BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. e038344
Author(s):  
Yong-Xia Mei ◽  
Beilei Lin ◽  
Weihong Zhang ◽  
Dong-Bin Yang ◽  
Shan-Shan Wang ◽  
...  

ObjectivesThe caregiving experience includes both caregiver burdens and benefits finding. However, the benefits obtained by family caregivers of stroke survivors in Chinese community dwellings are unknown. The objective of this study was to explore the benefits experienced by family caregivers of stroke survivors in Chinese community dwellings.DesignA qualitative descriptive design was used, fulfilling the consolidated criteria for the Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research reporting guidelines. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 family caregivers of stroke survivors. The interviews were audiotaped, transcribed and analysed. Thematic analysis was performed to analyse the interview transcripts.Setting and participantsHome interviews were conducted with family caregivers of stroke survivors in two communities in Zhengzhou, China.ResultsThe family caregivers of stroke survivors experienced various benefits from caregiving. There were both internal benefits (increases in knowledge and skills, the development of positive attitudes, and the development of a sense of worthiness and achievement) and external benefits (family growth and gains in social support), which interact to create a healthy lifestyle.ConclusionOur findings provide a comprehensive perspective in understanding the benefits perceived by family caregivers of stroke survivors. This study provides insights into interventions focused on identifying benefits finding in six domains that may help reduce negative emotions and promote the mental health of caregivers.


2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (5) ◽  
pp. 509-518 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fayron Epps ◽  
Ishan C. Williams

This study was a post hoc analysis of a larger qualitative descriptive study exploring family involvement in health promotion activities for African Americans living with dementia where participants identified religious practices as meaningful health promotion activities. The purpose of this study was to explore ways in which religiosity may influence the well-being of older adults living with dementia. Semi-structured interviews were conducted among a sample of 22 family caregivers and 15 older adults living with dementia ( N = 37). Three themes emerged: Engagement, Promotion of Faith and Spiritual Connectedness, and Maintenance of Religious Practices. It is imperative for family caregivers to understand the important contributions of religious activities and beliefs to the well-being of their family member. This information might be of use for faith communities, policy makers, and health care providers in the provision of optimal person-centered care and the promotion of quality of life for persons living with dementia.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Becky Black ◽  
Margaret L. Kern

Cultures explicitly and implicitly create and reinforce social norms and expectations, which impact upon how individuals make sense of and experience their place within that culture. Substantial differences in research findings across a range of behavioral and cognitive indices can be seen between what have been called ‘Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic (WEIRD)’ societies, and non-WEIRD cultures. Indeed, lay conceptions and social norms around wellbeing tend to emphasize social outgoingness and high-arousal positive emotions, with introversion and negative emotion looked down upon or even pathologized. However, this extravert-centric conception of wellbeing does not fit many individuals who live within WEIRD societies, and studies find that this mismatch can have detrimental effects on their wellbeing. There is a need to better understand how happiness is created and experienced by the large number of people for whom wellbeing manifests in alternative ways. This study investigated one such manifestation – the personality trait of Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS) – qualitatively investigating how sensitive individuals experience and cultivate wellbeing within a WEIRD society. Twelve adults participated in semi-structured interviews. Findings suggest that highly sensitive individuals perceive that wellbeing arises from harmony across multiple dimensions. Interviewees emphasized the value of low-intensity positive emotion, self-awareness, self-acceptance, positive social relationships balanced by times of solitude, connecting with nature, contemplative practices, emotional self-regulation, practicing self-compassion, having a sense of meaning, and hope/optimism. Barriers of wellbeing included physical health issues and challenges with saying no to others. This study provides a richer idiographic representation of SPS wellbeing, highlighting diverse pathways which can lead to wellbeing for individuals for whom wellbeing manifests in ways that contradict the broader social narratives in which they reside.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Sandra Roberta Ridley

<p>Older patients with a cognitive deficit, such as seen in Alzheimer's Disease (AD), have not been extensively researched in ED. Often patients with AD are accompanied by a familiar person such as a family caregiver when they present to an acute care facility. Literature has shown that family caregivers' have reported dissatisfaction with interaction with healthcare professionals in inpatient settings. There is a paucity of research on the experiences family caregivers have in ED. This study explored the experiences of family caregivers of people with Alzheimer's Disease in the ED of a regional hospital in New Zealand. A Hermeneutic phenomenology method was used to bring meaning to the lived experience of family caregivers in the ED. Ricouers Interpretation theory was used to analyse and interpret the data. Six family caregivers were interviewed, using semi-structured interviews, to explore and give meaning to their experience. Findings revealed family caregivers were 'sidelined'; felt invisible, ignored and abandoned by the healthcare professionals in ED. There appeared to be little understanding about dementia symptoms, or the needs of caregivers of people with AD. The experience was distressing for participants who felt they were not able to relay information about their loved one that was pertinent to their health and presenting symptoms. Health Professionals tended to speak directly to their loved ones and not with the participants. Consequently there was a risk of misinformation and poor communication driving treatment decisions for these patients. Participants reported poor information giving and family caregivers were left for long periods of time with no contact, and no support. Despite this, caregivers justified and excused the actions of healthcare professionals. They became passive recipients of process and procedures that were not adequately explained.</p>


2004 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 421-431 ◽  
Author(s):  
GIOVANNI de GIROLAMO ◽  
ANGELO PICARDI ◽  
GIOVANNI SANTONE ◽  
IAN FALLOON ◽  
PIERLUIGI MOROSINI ◽  
...  

Objective. In Italy, Residential Facilities (RFs) have completely replaced Mental Hospitals (MHs) for the residential care of mentally ill patients. We studied all patients resident in 265 randomly sampled Italian RFs (20% of the total).Method. Structured interviews focusing on each patient were conducted by trained research assistants with the manager and staff of each RF. Patients were rated with the HoNOS and the GAF, and comprehensive information about their sociodemographic and clinical status and care history were gathered.Results. Of the 2962 patients living in the sampled facilities, most were males (63·2%) who had never married, more than 70% were over 40 years; 85% on a pension, most commonly because of psychiatric disability. A substantial proportion (39·8%) had never worked and very few were currently employed (2·5%); 45% of the sample was totally inactive, not even assisting with domestic activities in the facility. Two-thirds had a diagnosis of schizophrenia; co-morbid or primary substance abuse were uncommon. Twenty-one per cent had a history of severe interpersonal violence, but violent episodes in the RFs were infrequent. The managers judged almost three-quarters appropriately placed in their facilities and considered that very few had short-term prospects of discharge.Conclusions. Italian RFs cater for a large patient population of severely mentally ill requiring residential care. Discharge to independent accommodation is uncommon. Future studies should attempt to clarify how to match residential programmes with patients' disabilities.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Victor Silva Corrêa ◽  
Julio Araújo Carneiro-da-Cunha ◽  
Vânia Maria Jorge Nassif ◽  
Ernesto Michelangelo Giglio

Purpose Entrepreneurial orientation (EO) is highly emerging in the management literature. However, recent studies highlight the necessity to associate with reflections on this theme, usually approached from an economic perspective, propositions also derived from relational approaches. This paper aims to investigate associations between EO and social networks, specifically about the still little explored relational coupling/decoupling theme. Design/methodology/approach This paper provides an empirical and qualitative study of religious entrepreneurs. A total of 18 pastors responsible for creating and leading independent neo-Pentecostal churches located in Belo Horizonte/Brazil, selected using the snowball technique, participated in this qualitative, case-study research. Two analysis categories guided data collection: pastors’ EO (behaviors suggestive of their innovativeness, proactivity, competitive aggressiveness, risk-taking and autonomy) and churches’ social framework (the resources and attributes that pastors obtain from their institutional structure). Findings The study concludes that pastors combine attributes representing their EO and their social structure in developing their religious endeavors. Research limitations/implications Among the limitations are the restricted use of semi-structured interviews as a data collection source and the absence of data proving the churches’ performance. Originality/value The paper contributes by showing that entrepreneurs can influence the structure of their networks by using EO; proving that networks influence pastors’ EO; revealing recursivity between EO and networks; emphasizing a relational dimension of the EO construct and presenting new theoretical propositions that can be explored and tested in future investigations.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 1631-1642
Author(s):  
Herma Lennaerts-Kats ◽  
Anne Ebenau ◽  
Maxime Steppe ◽  
Jenny T. van der Steen ◽  
Marjan J. Meinders ◽  
...  

Background: Family caregivers provide the majority of care for people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) in the palliative care phase. For many this is a demanding experience, affecting their quality of life. Objective: We set out to map the experiences of bereaved family caregivers during the period of informal care in the palliative care phase as well as after the death of their loved one with PD. Methods: Ten bereaved family caregivers participated in this qualitative study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and interpretative phenomenological analysis was used executed. Results: We identified four main themes. 1) Feeling like a professional caregiver: while caring for a person with PD, the family caregivers took over many roles and tasks of the person with PD. 2) Healthcare professionals do not always know what PD really means: most interviewees had negative experiences with knowledge and understanding of PD of, especially, (practice) nurses. 3) Being on your own: many respondents had felt highly responsible for their loved one’s care and lacked time and space for themselves. Grief and feelings of guilt were present during the caregiving period and after death. 4) Being behind the times: to provide palliative care in line with patients’ preferences and to feel prepared for the palliative care phase of PD, proactive palliative care planning was considered important. However, the interviewees told that this was most often not provided. Conclusion: These findings indicate that caring for a person with PD in the palliative care phase is a demanding experience for family caregivers. They experience psychological problems for many years before and after the death of the person with PD. Increasing healthcare professionals’ awareness of family and bereaved caregivers’ needs may mitigate these long-term detrimental effects.


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