The Caregiver Career

Abstract

The family caregiver role undertaken by spouses of persons with dementia is described as a fatalistic career process with identifiable stages. In the first or Encounter Stage, the caregivers confront the diagnosis and losses of previous lifestyle patterns and acquire home nursing skills. In the middle, or Enduring Stage, caregivers manage extensive care routines and try to cope with social isolation and their mental pain. In the final, or Exit Stage, the career is relinquished to some degree either from death of the ill spouse or institutionalization. The career perspective of caregiving provides a framework for guiding nursing research and practice.

Between worlds: the experiences and needs of former family carers

“…Such a view may underestimate the impact of relinquishing the primary carer role on identity, sense of guilt and monetary income. In contrast, Lindgren (1993) and Nolan et al (2003) view the post-caring/care transitions phase as beginning with either care facility placement or death. This latter interpretation of post-caring/care transitions was adopted in the present study.…”

“…The next stage is known as the 'Enduring Stage' , in which carers manage extensive care routines, while simultaneously trying to cope with social isolation and their mental pain. In the final or 'Exit Stage' , the carer career is relinquished to some degree by either the death or the institutionalisation of the relative (Lindgren, 1993). However, it is important to note that this model was based on findings from ten semistructured interviews with carers caring for their spouses who had either dementia or Alzheimer's disease.…”

“…It is recognised that one of the most significant transitions in this career is the movement into the post-caring/care transitions phase (Davies & Nolan, 2004;. This section will firstly present stage models that encompass all elements of the caring career (Aneshensel et al, 1995;Brown & Stetz, 1999;Lindgren, 1993;Nolan et al, 2003). Following this, theoretical models that focus exclusively on the post-caring/care transitions phase (Davies & Nolan, 2004;Larkin, 2009) will be discussed.…”

“…An extensive literature search has revealed four theoretical models which describe the characteristics of the initial, middle and final stages of being a family carer. Lindgren (1993) labelled the first stage the 'Encounter Stage', where the carer confronts the diagnosis and losses of previous lifestyle patterns. It is during this first phase that carers learn home nursing skills.…”

Vie personnelle, conjugale et familiale des conjoints vivant avec un partenaire présentant plusieurs problèmes de santé chroniques /

“…Robinson (1989) D'autres facteurs sont également en lien avec la dépression comme l'insomnie, la malnutrition, la perte de poids, la fatigue chronique, la nervosité, l'agitation ainsi qu'un sentiment intense d'anxiété et de douleurs émotionnelles (Bergman-Evans, 1994;Browning, & Schwirian, 1994;Given et al, 1990: Lindgren, 1993Monte, Kasl, & Berkman, 1989;Reese, Gross, Smalley, & Messer, 1994;Robinson, 1989). La perception des conjoints quant à leur propre santé devient plus négative à mesure que les soins à prodiguer augmentent (Killeen, 1989).…”