Abstract
Informal caregivers have a vital role in supporting and caring for family members with dementia. Caregiving is complex and may lead to psychological, physical, social and financial stress for caregivers. This article reports the findings of an integrative review that explored the literature on the psychological effect of caring for a family member with dementia at home. The article discusses four themes that were identified in the literature: 'the world shrinks'; 'surrender to the unknown'; 'robbed of the future'; and 'torn between relief and guilt'. These themes provide insight into the holistic experience of caring for a family member with dementia, revealing the positive and negative psychological effects of the role.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Nursing Older People |
| Volume | 33 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| Early online date | 11 Aug 2021 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published (in print/issue) - 30 Nov 2021 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2021 RCN Publishing Company Ltd. All rights reserved. Not to be copied, transmitted or recorded in any way, in whole or part, without prior permission of the publishers.
Keywords
- patients
- families
- clinical
- neurology
- carers
- professional
- mental health
- stress
- dementia
- Caregivers
- Humans
- Stress, Psychological
- Family
- Adaptation, Psychological
- Dementia
