title: Spousal caregivers and persons with dementia: Increasing participation in shared leisure activities among hospital-based dementia support program participants.
abstract: Spousal caregivers of persons with dementia often have difficulty engaging persons with dementia in leisure activities. This qualitative descriptive study identifies how caregivers perceive their spouses' participation in leisure activities since dementia onset and the professional guidance caregivers require to increase persons with dementia participation in shared leisure activities. Nine spousal caregivers from a hospital-based caregiver intervention attended one of three focus groups. Using symbolic interactionism and selective optimization with compensation theory as guiding frameworks, thematic content analysis was performed. Three major themes were identified: Recognizing and acknowledging changes, Making sense of changes and conflicts, and Embracing changes and forging ahead. Findings can be used by healthcare providers to better understand caregivers' needs for engaging persons with dementia in shared leisure activities, and inform development of feedback protocols to enhance caregiver interventions.
authors.affiliation: Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: DiLauro
authors.affiliation: VHA Home Healthcare, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.affiliation: Mount Sinai Hospital & University of Toronto (Status Only), Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.affiliation: Mount Sinai Hospital & University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.affiliation: Mount Sinai Hospital & University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Wesson
keywords: activity participation; caregivers; dementia; leisure; shared activities