title: Spousal Caregiver Perspectives on a Person-Centered Social Program for Partners With Dementia.
abstract: This qualitative study explored spousal caregiver perspectives on the experience and impact of a person-centered social program for partners with dementia. Interviews with 5 caregivers and the spouses with dementia were conducted 7 to 8 months after the program ended to explore the sustained impact of the program. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to support in-depth exploration of interviews. Three themes emerged including benefits of the program for caregivers, initial expectations and later perspectives of caregivers about the program, and conflicting values and perspectives between caregivers and the spouses. These findings suggest participation in a person-centered social program by people with dementia benefits their caregivers, by meeting the caregivers' desire for their spouses to increase social participation and engagement in meaningful activities. Participation in the program provided a sustained benefit to one couple in particular, by encouraging the caregiver to resume arranging activities the couple once enjoyed but now had difficulty pursuing.
authors.affiliation: School of Occupational Therapy, Texas Woman's University, Denton, TX, USA allang7038@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Areum
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Therapy Education, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA.
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Radel
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003704:Dementia / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D036301:Qualitative Research; D058992:Social Participation; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; caregivers; dementia; personhood; qualitative research; social participation