Document Type

Article

Language

eng

Format of Original

9 p.

Publication Date

6-2014

Publisher

SAGE Publications

Source Publication

Journal of Holistic Nursing

Source ISSN

0898-0101

Original Item ID

doi: 10.1177/0898010113509724

Abstract

The negative health consequences of caring for an older adult family member with dementia are well documented. However, not all family caregivers experience these negative health consequences. The purposes of this study were to describe strategies family caregivers use to help them continue to provide care for an older family member with dementia despite challenges and describe these family caregivers’ resilience and psychological distress. A mixed methods design was used with a narrative approach dominant and standardized scales for resilience and psychological distress used to enhance the description of the sample. Data were collected through telephone interviews with 18 family caregivers residing in an urban area. The findings indicate that family caregivers used four strategies to sustain the self: drawing on past life experiences, nourishing the self, relying on spirituality, and seeking information about dementia. Understanding strategies used by family caregivers to sustain themselves is essential for providing holistic nursing care and developing effective interventions.

Comments

Accepted version. Journal of Holistic Nursing, Vol. 32, No. 2 (June 2014): 127-135. DOI. © 2014 SAGE Publications. Used with permission.

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