The lived experience of spiritual well-being amongst family caregivers of persons with dementia on palliative care.

Family caregivers of persons with dementia are known to experience caregiver burden, anxiety, and social isolation. Spiritual well-being may help ameliorate these characteristics. The meaning of this phenomenon, though, is not known to have been explored previously within this caregiving population. This hermeneutic phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of spiritual well-being in 10 family caregivers. The analysis of semi-structured interviews revealed 5 prominent themes: being connected, strength, presence, hardships, and duty. Phenomenological writing revealed the essence of spiritual well-being in the context of this study. This understanding will help nurses appreciate the importance some family caregivers place on spirituality and recognize when a family caregiver may benefit from a spiritual guidance referral. Further research is recommended to examine associations between spiritual well-being and burden, depression, and social isolation in caregivers of persons with dementia at different stages of receiving palliative care.

Lay Caregivers' Experiences With Caring for Persons With Dementia: A Phenomenological Study.

Today, biomedical advancements allow older adults, including those with dementia, to live longer, with most living at home with a lay caregiver. Recent research details the stressful role of caregiving to persons with dementia (PWD). The current qualitative phenomenological study describes the lived experience of caregivers caring for PWD, including their experience with palliative care. A community sample of lay caregivers (N = 11) underwent recorded individual interviews. Interviews were analyzed following van Manen's approach to isolate thematic statements. Most caregivers were older (mean age = 71, SD = 9.6; range = 53 to 84 years) and female (n = 10). Study themes included: (a) Uncertainty: The Slippery Slope, (b) The Sense of Loneliness, (c) Complexities of Frustration, and (d) On the Other Side of the Spectrum. Findings show these caregivers are dealing with a dynamic range of feelings about their experiences. Opportunities exist for health care professionals to discuss such feelings and refer caregivers to supportive services, including palliative care. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 46(8), 17-27.].

Decision Making Among Older Adults at the End of Life: A Theoretical Perspective.

Understanding changes in decision making among older adults across time is important for health care providers. We examined how older adults with a limited prognosis used their perception of prognosis and health in their decision-making processes and related these findings to prospect theory. The theme of decision making in the context of ambiguity emerged, reflecting how participants used both prognosis and health to value choices, a behavior not fully captured by prospect theory. We propose an extension of the theory that can be used to better visualize decision making at this unique time of life among older adults.