TITLE:
Experiences of Family Relationships When a Family Member Has Dementia
AUTHORS:
Annika Kjällman Alm, Ove Hellzen, Karl-Gustaf Norbergh
KEYWORDS:
Dementia, Family Relationships, Next of Kin, Qualitative Study
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Nursing,
Vol.4 No.7,
June
20,
2014
ABSTRACT: Approximately 66 million people worldwide will suffer from dementia in
2030. The dementia’s impact affects people with the disorder and those in their
social networks, most notably, their families. This study’s aim was to explore
the experiences of family relationships when a family member has dementia. We
conducted semi-structured interviews with people diagnosed with dementia, their
spouses and adult children. Seventeen participants were interviewed. All participants
were recruited in open-ended ongoing structured support groups provided by a
Swedish municipality in order to elicit the participants’ subjective
experiences on family relationships after the dementia diagnosis. Researchers
used content analysis to examine the transcripts. Two main themes were
identified, one relating to changed relationships where the participants experienced
longing, lost closeness, loneliness and changed sibling relationships. The
second theme related to supporting relationships within the family with
experiences such as kinship, shared responsibilities and love and appreciation.
Support should therefore focus on creating relationships and giving
opportunities for conversations about changes within the families and difficult
decisions, creating family or team support for those who need it.