Coexisting with the Life of Patients with Hemodialysis: Qualitative Meta-Synthesis Study of Life of Caregivers of Patients with Hemodialysis

Abstract

As the number of patients with hemodialysis (HD) continues to increase, so too does the number of people depending on caregivers. There is need to pay attention to the lives of caregivers of patients with HD, where sacrifices are forced. This study systematically reviewed and synthesized qualitative studies that explored the experiences of caregivers caring for patients with HD using the meta-synthesis method. We searched literature using four databases (i.e., PubMed, Excerpta Medica dataBASE, Cumulated Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Web of Science), and finally ten publications were selected. Four themes and nine subtopics were derived from analyzing and synthesizing the research results. The synthesized themes were: “bearing the burden of life as a caregiver,” “reconstructing life to maintain hemodialysis”, “the fading of caregiver’s own life,” and “effort to relieve the burden.” The results of this study can contribute to the development of interventional studies to improve the quality of life of HD patients. These studies provide an integrated and in-depth perspective on the experiences of caregivers who care for HD patients.

Caring burden and coping with haemodialysis: a qualitative study with family caregivers in Sri Lanka

“…Similarly, a qualitative meta-synthesis by Kim and Lee revealed physical and emotional exhaustion among family caregivers when ignoring their own emotions. 23 This finding is also consistent with the finding of the study among Iranian family caregivers who experienced caregiving as progressive exhaustion. 7 Thus, an interdisciplinary team approach in healthcare, which includes nurses and social workers, must be expedited for early identification of potential psychosocial concerns to initiate advance care planning for patients and their family caregivers.…”

“…The suffering became apparent when they witnessed the suffering of their family member with burdening symptoms while making an effort to hide their own emotions. Similarly, a qualitative meta-synthesis by Kim and Lee revealed physical and emotional exhaustion among family caregivers when ignoring their own emotions 23. This finding is also consistent with the finding of the study among Iranian family caregivers who experienced caregiving as progressive exhaustion 7.…”

Exploring carer resilience in the context of dementia: a meta-synthesis

“…In addition, carers worked to adapt to their situation by thinking about the value of life while remembering how important their role as a carer was. Showing similar results to this study, a study on the resilience of carers of people with hemodialysis revealed that they sought to find meaning in their lives and to accept their situation positively to cope with their condition(s) [29]. Therefore, we can provide programs that can help PWD or their families find the meaning of life and form a stronger attachment to life, along with interventions that can help them realise the value of life and view their situations positively.…”

“…The informal carers or partners reported attempting to understand the person with dementia, protect that person, and adapt to the situation by living a life of symbiosis with that person [29,35]. On the other hand, in this meta-synthesis, carers showed the will to build their own lives while acknowledging their lives as carers.…”

“…Meta-synthesis methods have the potential to integrate different perspectives by synthesising different qualitative results, generating higher-order questions, and reducing duplication of research [24,25]. A meta-ethnographic approach has been used in the synthesis of a variety of qualitative studies, particularly those related to chronic diseases and the experiences of carers [28,29]. Through this approach, a conceptual model that goes beyond a simple set of results can be presented, providing directions and basic data for future resilience-related research on family carers who care for PWD.…”