Nursing Publications
Title
The Positive Aspects of the Caregiving Journey With Dementia: Using a Strengths-Based Perspective to Reveal Opportunities
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
10-2010
Journal
Journal of Applied Gerontology
Volume
29
Issue
5
First Page
640
Last Page
659
URL with Digital Object Identifier
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0733464809341471
Abstract
The increasing prevalence of dementia in older adults will increase the demands for care from families and the health care system. Caring for a relative with dementia is often viewed as burdensome and stressful in nature; however, of late, attention has been given to the positive aspects of the caregiving journey. The purpose of this article is to discuss the qualitative findings related to the positive aspects of family caregiving from a mixed methods study. A strengths-based perspective was used in the secondary analysis of six focus groups (N = 36) and three personal interview transcripts of family caregivers to persons with dementia. Findings reveal that family caregivers can view their role as an opportunity to give back, to discover personal strengths, and to become closer to the care receiver. The results suggest that identifying and mobilizing caregiver strengths can be an effective strategy for supporting family caregivers in their role.
