Weathering the Storm of Caregiving for Persons with Alzheimer's Disease

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive incurable disease affecting an individual's cognitive, behavioral, and physical systems. As individuals become more impaired, assistance is required and care may be provided by spouses, family members, or other close companions who serve as informal caregivers. To examine the perceptions and meaning of caring for a person with AD an interpretive descriptive study was used. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 13 informal caregivers. Data analysis revealed two themes: Grappling with the Responsibilities of Invisible Care and Weathering the Storm of Visible Care. Both themes relate to the stress and struggle of the visible and invisible roles of caregivers. The results of the study strengthen the need for home care clinicians to support caregivers who provide both visible and invisible care for persons with AD.

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