Yang Lingli, Wei Wei, Wu Yanni, Zhu Shunfang, Zeng Xiaoli, Wang Run, Zhang Mi, Lin Xiaolu, Zhou Chunlan
Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, PR China.
School of Nursing, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, PR China.
Chronic Illn. 2023 Dec;19(4):848-861. doi: 10.1177/17423953221148972. Epub 2023 Jan 3.
To explore the care experiences of spouses as long-term and primary caregivers for disabled older adults in China.
A descriptive phenomenological method was used in this study, as well as purposive and convenient sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 spousal caregivers in Guangdong, China, from March to December 2021. Interview audio-recordings were transcribed verbatim and data were analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological analysis method.
We identified four themes from the data: spousal care motivation; sacrifices in caregiving; obstacles in caregiving; spousal caregivers' positive experiences.
Spouses took responsibility for providing care for their disabled partners regardless of their willingness. They had positive experiences while providing care, but negative experiences were dominant, especially for spouses of severely disabled older adults. Spouses are always perfect in caregiving roles, although they may also need medical assistance. To prevent a decline in spousal caregivers' quality of life and relieve their care burdens, health care providers should support them as soon as possible or offer formal care for disabled older adults. It is necessary to intervene considering disabled older adults and their spousal caregivers as a unit to empower their confidence in coping with life together.
探讨中国配偶作为残疾老年人长期主要照料者的照料经历。
本研究采用描述性现象学方法，以及立意抽样和便利抽样。2021年3月至12月，对中国广东的15名配偶照料者进行了半结构式访谈。访谈录音逐字转录，数据采用科莱齐现象学分析方法进行分析。
我们从数据中识别出四个主题：配偶照料动机；照料中的牺牲；照料中的障碍；配偶照料者的积极经历。
配偶无论意愿如何，都承担起为残疾伴侣提供照料的责任。他们在提供照料时有积极经历，但消极经历占主导，尤其是重度残疾老年人的配偶。配偶在照料角色中总是完美的，尽管他们可能也需要医疗帮助。为防止配偶照料者生活质量下降并减轻其照料负担，医疗保健提供者应尽快给予支持，或为残疾老年人提供正式照料。有必要将残疾老年人及其配偶照料者作为一个整体进行干预，以增强他们共同应对生活的信心。
