caregivers of individuals with AD
Caregivers of Individuals with Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's disease is a terribly debilitating disease that strikes older adults and for which there is no known cure. According to the Institute on Aging, Alzheimer's disease is "an irreversible, progressive brain disease that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, and eventually even the ability to carry out the simplest tasks." (2012, p.1) Alzheimer's disease is named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer. Dr. Alzheimer is reported to have noted changes in a deceased woman's brain tissues that had passed away with an unusual mental illness, which had symptoms of "memory loss, language problems, and unpredictable behavior." (Institute on Aging, 2012, p.1) Her brain contained abnormal clumps, which are now referred to as amyloid plaques and tangled bundles of fibers now called neurofibrillary tangles, the two main features of Alzheimer's disease. The third feature of Alzheimer's disease is the loss of connections between…...
caregivers of those with dementia through a structure process of information giving. The goal is to determine specifically what information those that care for people with dementia want at the time of diagnosis. It is also necessary to examine the discrepancies between the information that these individuals receive and the information that they actually need to care for the individual in the best way possible. The primary question dealt with in the research is what information that these individuals want and information that they actually receive so that a comparison can be made between the two.
Describing and analyzing the perspectives of caregivers regarding their information needs is the main purpose of this research. Being able to determine what type of information caregivers of those with dementia really need at the time of diagnosis and being able to evaluate the impact of a caregiver education program for dementia on the…...
caregivers face when it comes to differentiating between dementia, delirium, and depression due to overlap of depression and delirium in older people. Some symptoms that accompany depression are also pronounced in dementia (Peacock, Hopton, Featherstone & Jill, 2012). These include withdrawal and sleepiness. This overlap creates some problem when it comes to differentiating the two.
Problem in this study and the purpose for which it was commissioned is clearly stated. A causal reading of the introduction will tell you what the entire study is all about and what issues it seeks to address. The first paragraph gives a clear definition of how delirium results and its prevalence in care homes and the fact that it is under-recognized by nurses. It also gives the relationship that exists between dementia and delirium, the confusion that exists between delirium and dementia, and how challenging it is to differentiate between depression, dementia, and delirium.…...
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References List
Featherstone, I., Hopton, A. & Siddiqi, N. (2010). An Intervention to Reduce Delirium in Care
Homes. Nursing Older People, 22(1), 16-21.
Mitchell, A. & Kakkadasam, V. (2011). Ability of Nurses to Identify Depression in Primary
Care, Secondary Care, and Nursing Homes -- A Meta-Analysis of Routine Clinical
In undertaking a quantitative research study, a researcher seeks to highlight the relationship between two variables, i.e. a dependent and an independent variable. The four kinds of quantitative research designs, according to Burns and Grove (2010), are “descriptive, correlational, quasi-experimental, experimental” designs (p. 34).
Grant, J.S., Weaver, M., Elliott, T.R., Bartolucci, A.A. & Giger, J.N. (2004). Family Caregivers of Stroke Survivors: Characteristics of Caregivers at Risk for Depression. Rehabilitation Psychology, 49(2), 172-179.
The authors in this article make use of a correlational research design. Correlational research, in the words of Burns and Grove (2010), “involves the systematic investigation of relationships between or among variables” (p. 35). In this case, the authors of this particular article make use of statistical analyses to highlight various predictors of stroke survivors’ family caregiver depression risk. In essence, the research piece is largely observational as far as the collection of data is concerned as it does not…...
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References
Burns, N. & Grove, S.K. (2010). Understanding Nursing Research: Building an Evidence-Based Practice (5th ed.). Maryland Heights, MO: Elsevier Health SciencesTaylor, B.J. (2006). Research in Nursing and Health Care: Evidence for Practice (3rd ed.). Belmont, CA: Cengage LearningWeil, J. (2017). Research Design in Aging and Social Gerontology: Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Methods. New York, NY: Taylor and Francis.
The purpose of the "Are you heading for caregiver burnout" inventory by Spencer (2010) is to give the caregiver an opportunity to check in with his or her needs, an act that caregivers seldom take the time to do. Caregivers are often so worried about and involved in addressing the needs of others they forget about their own basic needs for sleep and food. Unfortunately, the cumulative toll of sleep deprivation, inadequate and rushed meals, and the constant 'flight or fight' response induced by the experience of constantly attending to someone with medical needs often takes its toll, even if the caregiver is unaware of this fact.
Taking care of someone for many years is particularly draining physically and mentally. Caregivers may reproach themselves for not being mature in an emotional or spiritual fashion but all human beings have self-actualization needs. They have a need for…...
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References
Spencer, P. (2010). Are you heading for caregiver burnout? Community Table.
Caregiver Decision Making for Heart Failure
Reading Research Literature #1
Type your answers to the following questions using complete sentences and correct grammar, spelling, and syntax. Click Save as and save the file with your last name and assignment, e.g.,NR439_RRL1_Smith. Submit to the Reading Research Literature #1 basket in the Dropbox by 11:59 PM MT Sunday at the end of Week 5. The guidelines and grading rubric for this assignment may be found in Doc Sharing.
RRL#1
[replace this text with The following questions pertain to: Sanford, J., Townsend-Rocchicciolli, J., Horigan, A., & Hall, P. (2011). A process of decision making by caregivers of family members with heart failure. Research & Theory for Nursing Practice, 25(1), 55 -- 70.
What is the purpose of this research?
The purpose was to determine how caregivers make decisions for family members with heart failure.
What is the research question (or questions)? This may be implicit or explicit.
Decision-Making by Caregivers of Family Members with Heart Failure
Describe the population for this study.
The population for this study consisted of people who are family members of those with cardiovascular issues who may develop heart failure or who are currently living with heart failure. The intention was to find out how prepared family members were to deal with worst-case scenarios regarding the patient's care.
How was the sample selected? hat are the strengths and weaknesses of this sampling strategy?
The sample selected for the study was comprised of individuals whose family members have heart failure. The strength of this sampling strategy will be that only impacted people are involved, but the weakness is that these are individuals already aware of their family member's situation and the possibility that they will have to deal with the realities of taking care of their loved one.
ere the subjects in this study vulnerable? ere there any…...
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Works Cited
Sanford, J., Townsend-Rocchicciolli, J., Horigan, A., & Hall, P. (2011). A process of decision-
making by caregivers of family members with heart failure. Research & Theory for Nursing Practice. 25(1). 55-70.
Schwartz, K., Mion, P., Huddock, D., & Litman, G. (2008). Telemonitoring of heart failure patients and their caregivers: a pilot randomized controlled study. Progress in Cardiovascular Nursing. 23(1), 18-26.
Dementia
Five important issues caregivers should be aware of when working with dementia patients.
dementia is a "progressive and terminal" disease that "you can die from," according to a peer-reviewed article in BMC Medicine (van der Steen, 2013, p. 1). Van der Steen conducted a survey using 372 nursing home patients from 28 nursing facilities in the Netherlands. The initial survey reflected that just 43% of the families understood that "you can die from dementia," but 94% of the physicians responded affirmatively to the statement that "you can die from dementia" (van der Steen).
Many dementia patients do not progress into what is known as "advanced dementia," but they die earlier from "comorbid disease" or "dementia-related health problems," van der Steen explains. Hence, advance care planning (i.e., knowing the facts about dementia and discussing the realities with the patient while he or she can still make decisions) can make palliative care more comfortable…...
d, The Bowen Center). Systems therapy is based on the premise that family members form unconscious or conscious alliances. Triangular relationships in which different people are engaged in conflicts with one another, projections upon other family members, passing negative coping mechanisms from generation to generation are all examples of how family units can behave in a dysfunctional manner. When a member has a certifiable mental illness, these dynamics can be exacerbated. Systems therapy can help all members of the family better understand the negative and positive roles they are playing in a positive fashion.
Using such intense methods as family systems therapy is controversial with schizophrenia, given that it can be difficult for the patient to fully participate in the self-analysis required of conventional 'talk' therapy. However, once the patient's symptoms are bought under control, this is less of a concern. Furthermore, even when the patient is fully symptomatic, the patient's…...
It is not always easy to keep childcare arrangements running smoothly and problems may arise from time to time. .
In addition to these stresses, familial stresses might occur. For instance, Grandparents and parents may have different views about raising children. Parents' expectations of grandparents may exceed their resources. Grandchildren may not always obey or comply with grandparents' rules. Grandparents may not like the role of strict disciplinarian when discipline is required. Differing opinions regarding discipline may cause friction between the parents and grandparents. These stresses can affect the children and their ability to adjust to the new situation. Familial stresses make the adjustment difficult for everyone. Familial problems are oftentimes difficult to resolve.
As the number of aging grandmothers who are experiencing the adversity stemming from assuming primary parental roles continues to increase, resilience in this population has become an area of academic importance. How well grandmothers cope with the…...
Early Onset Dementia: Caregivers and Stress
While much research has been conducted on dementia, particularly the supreme focus upon dementia by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), there still is a marked dearth of information regarding early onset dementia (Jefferies & Agrawal, 2009). This is no surprise: dementia is generally viewed as a disease of old age. However, overlooking the significance and implications of Young Onset Dementia are dire. Young Onset Dementia (YOD) is defined affects 2.2% of the population under the age of 65 in the United Kingdom. Yet, there's still reason to believe that this number is actually even higher as 2.2% is simply the sum of the referrals to mental health services; it's more than likely that there are large numbers of undiagnosed members of society with this condition.
Generally, those who are undiagnosed, receive informal caregiving delivered by family-members, organisations such as their church, friends,…...
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References
Clare, L., & al., e. (2012). Marital Relationship Quality in Early-Stage Dementia: Perspectives From People With Dementia and Their Spouses. Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorders, 148-158.
de Vugt, M., & Verhey, F. (2013). The impact of early dementia diagnosis and intervention on informal caregivers. Progress in Neurobiology.
Ethics of Science and Technology in Maintaining Health / Life in Aged or Terminal Patients -- How Cultural Influences Support or Condemn Their Uses
Science and technology have provided a great deal of assistance in recent years to clinical healthcare professionals when it comes to maintaining / sustaining the lives of very old people. This paper reviews: a) some of the technologies currently being utilized as important components of healthcare services for aged people; b) specifically how those technologies are applied to the care of elderly people; and c) the ethical and social implications vis-a-vis those advanced technologies.
Ethical Challenges in the Care of Seriously Ill Patients
Clearly the development of assisting technologies give doctors and nurses additional tools with which to help aged people continue their lives; but there are serious ethical concerns that have been raised regarding those technologies. In the peer-reviewed journal Pain Medicine the authors discuss the "delicate balance…...
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Works Cited
Kang, H.G., Mahoney, D.F., Hoenig, H., Hirth, V.A., Ponato, P., Hajjar, I., and Lipsitz, L.A.
(2010). In Situ Monitoring of Health in Older Adults: Technologies and Issues. Journal of American Geriatric Society, 58(8), 1579-1586.
Kinney, J.M., and Kart, C.S. (2006). Not Quite a Panacea: Technology to Facilitate Family
Caregiving for Elders with Dementia. Generations, 30(2), 64-66.
I. Statement of the Phenomenon of Interest
1. Is the phenomenon of interest clearly identified?
In the article, Steiner et al., (2009) explained how web-based strategies influence the decisions by stroke survivors to use healthcare services in their first year of recovery. The authors used an experimental design to sample the caregivers and in the investigation of the effects of web-based interventions that the patients sought.
2. Has the researcher identified why the phenomenon requires a qualitative format?
The study undertaking by the researchers was qualitative because it required the collection of data from secondary sources of selected participants and further analysis before conclusions could be drawn.
3. Are the philosophical underpinnings of the research described?
The need to undertake the research was premised on the fact that over 80% of the stroke survivors within the first year after surgery while the remaining 20% percent needed first attention from caregivers. The use of web-based interventions during…...
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References
Steiner, V., Pierce, L., Windnagel, F., Martincin, K., Pawlak, R., & Salvador, D. (2009). The impact of a web-based caregiver intervention on the reasons stroke survivors use health care services during the first year post-treatment. Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation, 16(2), 122-132Pierce, L. (2001). Coherence in the urban family caregiver role with African American stroke survivors. Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation, 8(3), 64-72. Sommer, L., Gies, C., Hefflinger, K., Skrzyniecki, C., Pierce, L. (2016). Problems reported by daughters in caring for parents with stroke. Journal of Women’s Health, Issues & Care, 5(6), 1-5
There are certainly different approaches to the theory of anticipatory mourning. Clearly, one of the major issues within the literature surrounds the communication between the dying person and the caregiver, and both caregiver and patient and those who will be most affected or will mourn their loss. Conventional theory finds that preparing for loss involves experiencing most of the features of grief prior to the demise of the patient; numbness, anger or blame, fear, desperation, and even despair. However, an important difference is that the period of mourning begins before death occurs, and while contact and communication with the dying person is still a viable option. Because of this, there are additional emotions involved; hope, nostalgia, kindness, tenderness, and opportunity for closure (Fulton, 2003). It is this sense of hope, this feeling that there may still be something that can be done for the patient that is the focus of…...
1965, the Older Americans Act (OAA) established precedence for senior care in the United States. The OAA freed federal funding for not only seniors but also their caregivers, providing for such services as transportation and meals support. Since 1965, several adjustments and amendments have been made to the OAA. The most significant of the changes made to the OAA has been the National Family Caregiver Support Program, also known as Title IIIE of the OAA (NAC, 2012). The National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP) was added as an addendum to the OAA in 2000. Of all the amendments to the OAA, the NFCSP is the one that has had the most direct and immediate impact on caregivers of elders -- the family members who care for their aging relatives. Unlike other provisions of the OAA, the NFCSP distinguishes itself by focusing on the caregivers and their needs, thereby initiating…...
Feinberg, L.F. & Newman, S.L. (2004). A study of 10 states since passage of the national family caregiver support program. The Gerontologist 44(6): 760-769.
Electronic medical records, which refer to medical records that are not only stored in electronic systems (which includes almost all medical records in the modern world, with the exception of some medical records maintained in non-industrialized nations), but that are accessible to multiple healthcare providers across different platforms. The question is whether these records are able to improve quality of care by allowing healthcare providers to get a full picture of a patient’s medical history, as well as any presenting concerns or issues, as soon as the patient presents for medical treatment. It would seem like the....
Teen suicide is a one of the biggest health threats to teens. This may be due to many factors, such as the fact that teenage brains are not fully developed, hormone changes from puberty, teen vulnerability to child abuse or dating violence, or the fact that many mental illnesses begin to emerge in the teenage or young adult years. Reducing the suicide rate among teens is a consistent public health goal, though there is no guaranteed intervention that will always lead to success. With social media usage among teens changing the way that teens socialize, there is little....
The concept of self-care has never been more important than it is now, when a pandemic has shut down much of the globe and external stressors are unlike anything most people have seen in their lifetimes. Generally, when people discuss self-care inside the topic of mental health, they are referring to the importance of caregivers engaging in self-care. This makes it an excellent topic for a narrative essay, because of how narrative essays are structured.
The concept of self-care is an important one. People who are responsible for helping care for those who....
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