The Lived Experience of Providing Care and Support Services for Holocaust Survivors in Australia

Teshuva, Karen; Borowski, Allan; Wells, Yvonne

doi:10.1177/1049732316667702

Cited by 7 publications

(57 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Being dependent on others for their daily living can be perceived as demanding for survivors. The strong feeling of trusting only yourself after having survived trauma has also been described by Teshuva et al 49 and Teshuva and Wells. 50 The lack of the cognitive-emotional ability to integrate past experiences into current life circumstances is also considered 51 to be even more challenging, since the post-traumatic stress of Holocaust survivors resides long in their past.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 58%

Caring for older people with dementia reliving past trauma

Craftman

Swall

Båkman³

et al. 2019

Nurs Ethics

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Background: The occurrence of behavioural changes and problems, and degree of paranoid thoughts, are significantly higher among people who have experienced extreme trauma such as during the Holocaust. People with dementia and traumatic past experiences may have flashbacks reminding them of these experiences, which is of relevance in caring situations. In nursing homes for people with dementia, nursing assistants are often the group of staff who provide help with personal needs. They have firsthand experience of care and managing the devastating outcomes of inadequate understanding of a person’s past experiences. Aim: The aim was to describe nursing assistants’ experiences of caring for older people with dementia who have experienced Holocaust trauma. Research design: A qualitative descriptive and inductive approach was used, including qualitative interviews and content analysis. Participants and research context: Nine nursing assistants from a Jewish nursing home were interviewed. Ethical considerations: The study was approved by the Regional Ethical Review Board, Stockholm. Findings: The theme ‘Adapting and following the survivors’ expression of their situation’ was built on two categories: Knowing the life story enables adjustments in the care and Need for flexibility in managing emotional expressions. Discussion and conclusion: The world still witnesses genocidal violence and such traumatic experiences will therefore be reflected in different ways when caring for survivors with dementia in the future. Person-centred care and an awareness of the meaning of being a survivor of severe trauma make it possible to avoid negative triggers, and confirm emotions and comfort people during negative flashbacks in caring situations and environments. Nursing assistants’ patience and empathy were supported by a wider understanding of the behaviour of people with dementia who have survived trauma.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 58%

Caring for older people with dementia reliving past trauma

Craftman

Swall

Båkman³

et al. 2019

Nurs Ethics

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Further, the study findings may steer carers away from an over-emphasis on ‘addressing behaviours triggered by past traumatic experiences’ (Anderson et al , 2011: 764). The danger of focusing on triggers is that it may distract from acknowledging survivors’ resilience and, more broadly, from examining problematic care-giving practice (Teshuva et al , 2016).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nurses in Israel find caring for survivors in community and institutional care settings especially difficult because it takes an enormous amount of patience, time, understanding and attentiveness (Leonhard, 2003). The literature suggests that adverse reactions to care among older survivors often arise from aged care workers’ lack of knowledge, training, skills or confidence to deal with the effects of remote extreme trauma (Hirschfeld, 1977; Carlson et al ., 2008; Teshuva et al , 2016). However, Carstairs (2004) warned against automatically assuming that the behaviours of Holocaust survivors result directly from their past traumatic experiences.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In a separate sub-study, qualitative data were collected from 70 direct care staff about their experiences of providing care for Holocaust survivors. These staff emphasised the complexity of, and stresses associated with, working with this client group, and recognised the need for high levels of empathy for their clients (Teshuva et al , 2016). They described using trauma-sensitive strategies as required, adopting self-care strategies and requiring support when stressful situations arose.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Holocaust survivors’ perspectives on using community aged care and support services

2019

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The extant literature on Jewish Holocaust survivors’ experiences of receiving aged care services typically focuses on the risk that formal care settings may reactivate traumatic memories. Absent from previous research have been the viewpoints of older survivors themselves regarding their aged care experiences. An interpretive phenomenological approach was used to investigate Jewish Holocaust survivors’ lived experience of using community aged care services. Thirteen in-depth interviews were conducted and analysed using thematic analysis. The credibility of the findings was ensured by methodological triangulation and peer debriefing. Four major themes emerged from the analysis: wanting carers to do their job well; being supported to maintain autonomy; having a good relationship with the carer; and being understood as an individual. Although Holocaust survivors described the lived experience of using community aged care services in terms of universal themes similar to those identified with other groups of care recipients, the data revealed that this experience is intertwined with individual earlier-life traumatic experiences. This study has implications for training age care staff who work with Holocaust survivors and older trauma survivors from other refugee backgrounds.

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“…This serves as a reminder that migrant carers may lack the specific historical knowledge critical for understanding interactions with older people who are Holocaust survivors. Previous research highlighted the need for Holocaust awareness among carers who work with Holocaust survivors (Teshuva, Borowski and Wells 2017; Teshuva and Wells 2014). The importance of understanding food-related behaviours among Holocaust survivors (Sindler, Wellman and Stier 2004) may be heightened in co-resident care arrangements, and should be considered when preparing migrant carers to work in Israel.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Like one of the family? Understanding relationships between migrant live-in care workers and older care recipients in Israel

et al. 2018

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Frail older people worldwide are increasingly being cared for in their own homes by migrant live-in care workers; however, extant literature on care relationships in this care context is sparse. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to explore the quality and the nature of care relationships between full-time, live-in migrant care workers and older people in Israel. Quantitative and qualitative data were drawn from a 2014 survey of 116 migrant care workers and 73 older care recipients. Mean scores for four quantitative items relating to care relationships were examined and independent samples t-tests and Pearson correlations were performed, whereas qualitative data were examined using thematic analysis. Credibility of qualitative findings was checked by peer review. Most older people and migrant care workers gave high ratings to the four items. Significant correlations between the two groups were found for their responses on all four relationship items assessed, with only one item (‘get along well’) producing significant t-test differences. Qualitative data provided a deeper understanding of the quantitative ratings of care relationships. Four major qualitative themes emerged as inextricably tied with both groups’ perceptions of positive care relationships. These were: an emotional connection; reciprocity; effective communication; and meeting the older person's care needs. Study findings were interpreted through the theoretical lens of relationship-centred care. Implications of the findings for theory, practice and further research are discussed.

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The Lived Experience of Providing Care and Support Services for Holocaust Survivors in Australia

Cited by 7 publications

References 26 publications

Caring for older people with dementia reliving past trauma

Caring for older people with dementia reliving past trauma

Holocaust survivors’ perspectives on using community aged care and support services

Like one of the family? Understanding relationships between migrant live-in care workers and older care recipients in Israel

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