Components of Empowerment Among Family Caregivers of Community-Dwelling People With Dementia in Japan: A Qualitative Research Study.
Sayori Sakanashi, Kimie Fujita, Rie Konno
PMID 33840772WHAT IT FOUND
Family caregivers of people with dementia in Japan described empowerment as four themes: learning coping and self-care, respecting the person, building mutual support, and understanding how society views dementia.
They were recruited from self-help groups, so less empowered caregivers may be missing.
Key findings
01The analysis produced four empowerment categories and 12 subcategories.
02The categories were proactive aspects of dementia care acquired through caregiving, creating a relationship that respects people with dementia, building relationships based on mutual understanding of one's surroundings, and understanding the social aspects of dementia care.
03Subcategories included accepting the caregiving role, acquiring coping strategies, improving self-efficacy, changing attitudes toward dementia care, and learning to care for one's own health.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The caregivers were recruited from four self-help groups, and the authors say this may have selected for people who were already empowered. The study had 20 caregivers, so it describes their experiences, not proof that any support method works. The authors say some perspectives may not have been represented in the sample. The study describes experiences in Japan, so it may not apply to caregivers in other countries or health systems. The authors say further study is needed to build and verify intervention programmes tailored to caregivers' empowerment level.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these empowerment categories as proof that a caregiver support programme works. The study only describes interview themes from 20 caregivers recruited from four self-help groups, and the authors say intervention programmes still need to be built and verified.