Findings of a qualitative analysis of several members of a family in which one member has Alzheimer s Disease (AD) support the notion that differences in how eachfamily member defines and makes meaning of the situation have consequences for the family as a unit. Ten in-depth individual and dyadic interviews of five available fanily members were conducted during a period of 18 months. Data support the finding that each member of the family experienced a similarprocess of coming to terms with changes in theperson who has AD. Thisprocess consisted of three stages: identifying how the person with AD was the same as he was before, as well as how he was different, prior to disease onset; redefining the identity of the person with AD; and rewriting one's relationship with the person with AD. This study supports both Knajl's and Deatrick's concept of family management and Patterson's concept offamily meaning.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Becker, H. S. (1992). Cases, causes, conjectures, stories and imagery. In C. C. Ragin & H. S. Becker (Eds.), What is a case? Exploring the foundations of social inquiry (pp. 205-216). Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press.
2.
Campbell, D. W. (1991). Family paradigm theory and family rituals: Implications for child and family health. Nurse Practitioner, 16, 22-31.
3.
Chesla, C. , Martinson, I., & Muwaswes, M. L. (1994). Continuities and discontinuities in family members' relationships with Alzheimer's patients. Family Relations, 43(1), 3-9.
4.
Conrad, P. (1990). Qualitative research on chronic illness: A commentary on method and conceptual development. Social Science and Medicine, 30(11), 1257-1263.
5.
Fisher, L. , Visintainer, P. F., & Schultz, R. (1989). Reliable assessment of cognitive impairment in dementia patients by family caregivers. The Gerontologist, 29(3), 333-335.
6.
George, L. K. , & Gwyther, L. P. (1986). Caregiver well-being: A multidimensional examination of family caregivers of demented adults. The Gerontologist, 26(3), 253-259.
7.
Gilliss, C. L. , Rose, D. B., Hallburg, J. C., & Martinson, I. M. (1989). The family and chronic illness. In C. L. Gilliss, B.:L. Highley, B. M. Roberts, & I. M. Martinson (Eds.), Toward a science of family nursing (pp. 287-299). Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
8.
Given, C. W. , Collins, C. E., & Given, B. A. (1988). Sources of stress among families caring for relatives with Alzheimer's disease. Nursing Clinics of North America, 23(1), 69-82.
9.
Glaser, B. G. , & Strauss, A. L. (1967). The discovery of grounded theory: Strategies for qualitative research. New York: Aldine.
10.
Knafl, K. , & Deatrick, J. A. (1990). Family management style: Concept analysis and development. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 5(1), 4-14.
11.
Malonbeach, E. E. , & Zarit, S. H. (1991). Current research issues in caregiving to the elderly. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 32(2), 103-114.
12.
Oliveri, M. E. , & Reiss, D. (1982). Families' schemata of social relationships. Family Process, 21, 295-311.
13.
Patterson, J. M. (1993). The role of family meanings in adaptation to chronic illness and disability. In A. P. Turnbull, J. M. Patterson, S. K. Behr, D. L. Murphy, J. G. Marquis, & M. J. Blue-Banning (Eds.), Cognitive coping, families, and disability (pp. 221-238). Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.
14.
Reiss, D. (1981). The family's construction of reality. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University.
15.
Semple, S. (1992). Conflict in Alzheimer's caregiving families: Its dimensions and consequences. The Gerontologist, 32(5), 648-655.
16.
Shields, C. (1992). Family interaction and caregivers of Alzheimer's disease patients: Correlates of depression. Family Process, 31(1), 19-33.
17.
Strauss, A. L. (1987) Qualitative analysis for social scientists. Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press.
18.
Watson, W. L. (1984). Intervening with aging families and Alzheimer's disease. In L. M. Wright & M. Leahey (Eds.), Nurses and families: A guide to family assessment and intervention (pp. 381-404). Philadelphia, PA: F. A. Davis.
19.
Wilson, H. S. (1989a). Family caregivers: The experience of Alzheimer's disease. Applied Nursing Research, 2, 40-45.
20.
Wilson, H. S. (1989b). Family caregiving for a relative with Alzheimer's dementia: Coping with negative choices. Nursing Research, 38, 94-98.
21.
Wright, L. M. , & Leahey, M. (1994). Nurses and families: A guide to family assessment and intervention (2nd ed.). Philadelphia, PA: F. A. Davis.
22.
Zarit, S. H. , Reever, K. E., & Bach-Peterson, J. (1980). Relatives of the impaired elderly: Correlates of feelings of burden. The Gerontologist, 20(6), 649-655.
23.
Patterson, J. M. (1993). The role of family meanings in adaptation to chronic illness and disability. In A. P. Turnbull, J. M. Patterson, S. K. Behr, D. L. Murphy, J. G. Marquis, & M. J. Blue-Banning (Eds.), Cognitive coping, families, and disability (pp. 221-238). Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.
24.
Knafl, K. , & Deatrick, J. A. (1990). Family management style: Concept analysis and development. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 5(1), 4-14.
25.
Patterson, J. M. (1993). The role of family meanings in adaptation to chronic illness and disability. In A. P. Turnbull, J. M. Patterson, S. K. Behr, D. L. Murphy, J. G. Marquis, & M. J. Blue-Ganning (Eds.), Cognitive coping, families, and disability (pp. 221-238). Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.
