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Using Qualitative Research to Identify and Address the Unique Needs of Caregivers of Persons with Alzheimer's Disease

This paper reviews articles describing qualitative research that explores the unique needs of caregivers of patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Qualitative research methodologies used in these studies include hermeneutic phenomenology, descriptive studies with focus groups, and individual interviews. Researchers identified needs and concerns unique to caregivers of persons with Alzheimer’s disease including the need for knowledge about the disease, care recipient and caregiver issues, resource needs, and coping post-nursing home placement. Suggestions for addressing the needs were given by study participants. Implications for nurses and other professionals working with caregivers of persons with Alzheimer’s disease were addressed. The importance of qualitative research in bringing understanding of the essence of caregiving of persons with Alzheimer’s disease is well-documented in this review. Key Words: Alzheimer’s Disease, Caregiving, Coping, Skill Development, and Qualitative Research Alzheimer’s disease affects an estimated 5.3 million people in America (Alzheimer's Association, 2009). By 2029, all baby boomers will be at least 65 years of age. It is predicted that the number of cases of Alzheimer’s disease will double every twenty years (Alzheimer's Association). Many Americans with Alzheimer’s disease are cared for by family members. Caregiving of people with Alzheimer’s disease can be very difficult. The demand of caregiving has a significant impact on the physical and emotional health of the caregiver. Caregivers must provide various levels of care for the person with Alzheimer’s disease. At the beginning of the disease, responsibilities frequently include shopping, meal preparation, transportation, oversight of medication, and assistance with financial and legal affairs. With progression of the disease, the person with Alzheimer’s disease may require assistance with activities of daily living including bathing, feeding, dressing, and toileting. Wandering becomes a problem for many with Alzheimer’s disease, and supervision 24 hours a day, seven days a week, may be needed to insure safety. When the burden of caregiving becomes greater than the caregiver can provide, long-term care placement such as a nursing home must be arranged. This responsibility also falls to the caregiver. Nurses often are in contact with caregivers of persons with Alzheimer’s disease in physician’s offices, hospitals, nursing homes, and support groups. This affords nurses an opportunity to assist these caregivers in providing care to the person with Alzheimer’s as well as address the personal needs of the caregiver. The purpose of this paper is to review articles describing the use of qualitative research to identify and address the unique needs of caregivers of persons with Alzheimer’s disease.