The Experience of Quality of Life for Caregivers of People With Alzheimer’s Disease Living in Sardinia, Italy

Abstract

Purpose:This study explored the meaning of quality of life (QOL) for Sardinian caregivers of people affected with Alzheimer's disease and factors improving and worsening their QOL. Design: The phenomenological method was used to study 41 Alzheimer's disease caregivers living on the western coast of Sardinia, Italy. Interviews were conducted and analyzed using Cohen, Kahn, and Steeves's approach. Findings: Extracted themes were the following: unity and cooperation in the family; freedom/independence; having time for themselves; serenity/tranquility; and well-being and health. Caregivers identified factors that they believed worsened or improved their QOL. Family was particularly important for these caregivers. Discussion and Practice Implications: This study reinforces previous research about cultural influence on QOL and emphasizes the importance of nurses being culturally sensitive. Since Sardinia is a rural region, these findings may be useful for nurses working with caregivers in other rural settings.

Caregivers’ perceptions of the therapeutic benefits of drug treatments for dementia

“…Alzheimer's disease (AD), the principal cause of dementia, is increasing worldwide as the population ages and affects approximately 520,000 people in Italy [2]. There is no cure for dementia, but since 1990, a class of drugs, the cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs), has been available to treat the symptoms of mild to moderate AD [3].…”

Instruments measuring the disease-specific quality of life of family carers of people with neurodegenerative diseases: a systematic review

“…1 Nevertheless, caring can also have positive effects such as greater closeness to the person with the condition, reciprocity and spiritual growth. [4][5][6] In recent years, there has been an increasing research focus on assessing quality of life (QOL) as an informative and important patient-reported outcome measure in the person with the disease and their carers. Although QOL is subjective in regard to how it is perceived by the individual, there is growing consensus that it represents a multidimensional construct encompassing various domains such as physical health, socioeconomic status; psychological, emotional and social well-being, and that it is a useful way of capturing the broad impacts of complex disorders such as neurodegenerative disease.…”

The experience of stroke survivors three months after being discharged home: A phenomenological investigation

“…The transcriptions were also translated into English to involve the foreign co-investigator. This approach has been successfully used in prior research, 27,32 The analysis was performed by each investigator. In the Cohen et al 26 methodology, researchers first reads each transcript several time to get a sense of the whole.…”

“…[27][28][29] Phenomenological methodology was chosen to conduct this study because it allows a deeper understanding of peoples' lived experience as well as an investigation of the meaning people attribute to an experience. In fact, according to the phenomenological approach that guided this study, 26 'Understanding patients' experiences may guide nurses to interact in ways that may differ from people who lack that understanding' and 'The meanings that patients attribute to their experiences help create the needs they have and how these needs can best be met' (p.4).…”