Mi Ra Sung; Myungsun Yi; Dong Young Lee; Hye Young Jang

doi:10.4040/jkan.2013.43.3.389

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Original Article
Overcoming Experiences of Family Members Caring for Elderly Patients with Dementia at Home: Mi Ra Sung, Myungsun Yi, Dong Young Lee, Hye Young Jang; Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing 2013;43(3):389-398.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4040/jkan.2013.43.3.389
Published online: June 28, 2013

¹Department of Nursing, Kyung-in Women's University, Incheon · Seoul Metropolitan Center for Dementia, Seoul, Korea.

²College of Nursing & Research Institute of Nursing Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.

³Department of Psychiatry Seoul National University Hospital · Seoul Metropolitan Center for Dementia, Seoul, Korea.

⁴Graduate School of Nursing, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.

Address reprint requests to: Jang, Hye Young. Graduate School of Nursing, Seoul National University, 103 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-799, Korea. Tel: +82-2-740-8829, Fax: +82-2-6442-8829, gogo0108@snu.ac.kr

• Received: January 21, 2013 • Accepted: April 12, 2013

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Abstract
REFERENCES

Abstract

Purpose
The purpose of the study was to understand and describe the overcoming experiences of family members caring for elderly patients with dementia at home.
Methods
Data came from autobiographies on the overcoming experiences of caregiving from 31 participants, who had submitted the autobiographies to a public contest held by the Seoul Metropolitan Center for Dementia in 2012. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.
Results
Four overcoming stages emerged from the analysis: confronting stage; challenging stage; integrating stage; and transcendental stage, representing transformation of experiences from frustration and suffering to happiness and new hope in life. The confronting stage illustrates severe negative feelings and exhaustion occurring after the diagnosis of dementia. The challenging stage signifies major driving forces in taking good care of their patients. It includes tender loving memories about the patients as well as family and social supports. The integrating stage shows genuine empathy for the patients' situation and the happiness of 'here and now', while the transcendental stage represents new hope in the future.
Conclusion
Health professionals need to support caregivers to find true meaning of caring and happiness in everyday life, while providing specific information on dementia care and relieving various negative feelings.
Keywords: Caregivers; Dementia; Psychological adaptation; Qualitative research; Family

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Table 1

Characteristics of the Participants

Table 2

The Stage of Overcoming Difficulties among Family Caregivers for Elderly Patients with Dementia at Home

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Overcoming Experiences of Family Members Caring for Elderly Patients with Dementia at Home

J Korean Acad Nurs. 2013;43(3):389-398. Published online June 28, 2013

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4040/jkan.2013.43.3.389

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Overcoming Experiences of Family Members Caring for Elderly Patients with Dementia at Home

Table 1

Characteristics of the Participants

Table 2

The Stage of Overcoming Difficulties among Family Caregivers for Elderly Patients with Dementia at Home

Table 1 Characteristics of the Participants

Table 2 The Stage of Overcoming Difficulties among Family Caregivers for Elderly Patients with Dementia at Home