Stöd till anhöriga vid BPSD i hemmet : En kvalitativ intervjustudie

Sammanfattning

Background: Dementia is one of the major causes to disability among older people and the seventh leading cause of death in the world. Dementia has physical, psychical, social and economic impacts for the people living with dementia and their family. The majority of people with dementia will develop behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). These symptoms can be challenging for family caregivers. The support for family caregivers is insufficient. When family caregivers are given support, the risk for BPSD decreases and the wellbeing of people with dementia and their family increases. Aim: The aim of this study was to describe nurses´ experiences of family support when BPSD occurs at home. Method: A qualitative interview study. The interviews were analyzed with a qualitative content analysis. Results: In the result, two categories and eight sub-categories emerged. The categories highlight the nurses' experiences of creating a supportive encounter as well as challenges in the work. Conclusions: Nurses have a crucial role in providing family support when BPSD occurs in home settings by meeting relative's needs. This work is complex and challenging, where person-centered care and trustworthy relationships are of importance for providing positive support to family caregivers. The findings indicate that improved organizational conditions within dementia care such as enhanced competence, continuity of care, and strengthened collaboration between healthcare services are necessary to enable well-functioning person-centered support for family caregivers of individuals with BPSD at home. Such support may ultimately contribute to improved quality of life for both family caregivers and people living with dementia.