Kontrimiene Ausrine, Sauseriene Jolanta, Blazeviciene Aurelija, Raila Gediminas, Jaruseviciene Lina
Department of Family Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LUHS), Mickeviciaus 9, 44307, Kaunas, Lithuania.
Department of Nursing and Care, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LUHS), Eivenių str. 4, 50161, Kaunas, Lithuania.
Int J Ment Health Syst. 2021 Jan 20;15(1):12. doi: 10.1186/s13033-020-00428-w.
In many communities around the world, informal caregivers of older adults with dementia represent an essential, yet often underappreciated, source of long-term care. The present study aimed to determine the personal experiences of such caregivers, which could be instrumental for developing means of improving the quality of care for both care receivers and their informal caregivers.
Five semi-structured focus-group discussions were held. The participants (n = 31) were all informal caregivers of older adults with dementia. The focus-group discussions were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. An inductive approach was used, and thematic data analysis was applied.
Four thematic categories were identified: learning caregiving through personal experience; implications of caregiving on social wellbeing; caregivers' contradictory emotions regarding care delivery; and addressing challenges regarding care provision.
This study revealed, among the informal caregivers, a variety of experiences, contradicting feelings, and problem-solving strategies relating to the care of older adults with mental disorders. Becoming an effective caregiver involves professional and psychological development. Developing caregiving skills, supportive environment and positive attitude can help facilitate providing care. Caregiving largely impacts the emotional, physical, and social wellbeing of the person; thus, comprehensive approaches are needed to prevent burnout and associated social disadvantages.
在世界上许多社区，患有痴呆症的老年人的非正式照料者是长期护理的重要来源，但往往未得到充分重视。本研究旨在确定此类照料者的个人经历，这可能有助于开发提高照料接受者及其非正式照料者护理质量的方法。
进行了五次半结构化焦点小组讨论。参与者（n = 31）均为患有痴呆症的老年人的非正式照料者。焦点小组讨论进行了录音并逐字转录。采用归纳法并进行主题数据分析。
确定了四个主题类别：通过个人经历学习照料；照料对社会福祉的影响；照料者在提供照料方面的矛盾情绪；以及应对照料提供方面的挑战。
本研究揭示，在非正式照料者中，存在与照料患有精神障碍的老年人相关的各种经历、矛盾情绪和解决问题的策略。成为一名有效的照料者需要专业和心理发展。培养照料技能、支持性环境和积极态度有助于促进照料提供。照料在很大程度上影响着个人的情绪、身体和社会福祉；因此，需要综合方法来预防倦怠和相关的社会不利因素。
