A family's coming to terms with Alzheimer's disease.

Findings of a qualitative analysis of several members of a family in which one member has Alzheimer's Disease (AD) support the notion that differences in how each family member defines and makes meaning of the situation have consequences for the family as a unit. Ten in-depth individual and dyadic interviews of five available family members were conducted during a period of 18 months. Data support the finding that each member of the family experienced a similar process of coming to terms with changes in the person who has AD. This process consisted of three stages: identifying how the person with AD was the same as he was before, as well as how he was different, prior to disease onset; redefining the identity of the person with AD; and rewriting one's relationship with the person with AD. This study supports both Knafl's and Deatrick's concept of family management and Patterson's concept of family meaning.