| Learning Objective #1: Increase their awareness of positive rather than negative aspects of caregiving | |||
| Learning Objective #2: Identify at least three positive resources for caregiving in Alzheimer's disease |
Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine a model of potential internal appraisal resources and their effect on elderly caregivers' well-being.
Design: A path analysis was used to test a model for best fit with the variables of concern.
Concepts or Variables of study: The relationship of hope, finding meaning through caregiving, coping and sense of coherence were examined to test a potential model of caregiving in the Alzheimer's situation.
Population, Sample and Setting: The participants were 45 older spousal caregivers who had been caregiving in their home for three years or longer. They were recruited throughout a rural area from Alzheimer's support groups.
Methods: Instruments used were: Herth Hope Index, Finding Meaning Through Caregiving Scale, Jaloweic Coping Scale and Antonovsky's Sense of Coherence Scale. A model with modified paths illustrated the significant linkages among the study variables.
Findings: Results indicated that even though the caregivers were coping at a low level, they had moderate hope and found meaning in their caregiving situation. Their well-being or sense of coherence was strongly associated with finding meaning.
Conclusions: Hope had an indirect effect, through finding meaning, on caregiver well-being outcome. Caregivers found meaning through positive attitude and choice. The meaning assessed included exploration of ultimate meaning from spiritual values and belief, provisional meaning from day-to-day tasks and the giving of self as well as experiencing suffering and gaining solidarity and acceptance of the situation. A sense of coherence for caregivers, comprehending the situation so that it was manageable in some way and had meaning for them, was reflected in the high level of sense of coherence for the participants.
Implications: Interventions based on findings will assist in promoting positive appraisal in caregiving situations. Reinforcing positive aspects of caregiving may help caregivers to sustain their role of in-home caregiving.
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Back to 14th International Nursing Research Congress
Sigma Theta Tau International
10-12 July 2003