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Caregivers’ Experience of Caring for a Family Member with Alzheimer’s Disease: A Content Analysis of Longitudinal Social Media Communication

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  • Pavel Bachmann

    (Department of Management, Faculty of Informatics and Management, University of Hradec Králové, 50003 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic)

Abstract

Background: The population aging together with an increased incidence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) should also be accompanied by a growing interest in healthcare research. Therefore, this study examines the nature of the caregiver’s work, its mental and physical demands, experience and questions, and the relationship between the person with AD, the caregiver, and family members. Methods: As social media has become the place where people share family situations, a Facebook private discussion group of caregivers was chosen as the analytical data source. The study documented the daily-life situations of one-hundred dyads based on 2110 posts published during a six-month or longer period. A content analysis classified communication into 35 categories of basic, instrumental, and extended activities of daily livings (ADLs) and newly designed caregiver’s daily issues (CDIs). Results: The frequently discussed topics were related to exhaustion and feelings of “giving up” by caregivers and interpersonal communication and help from family members. The highest support was found for the topics of aging and dying and family events. Conclusion : The communications of caregivers were diverse and rather associated with co-occupational ADLs and CDIs than basic or instrumental ADLs. The support of the group was mainly provided in coping with fundamental life changes.

Suggested Citation

  • Pavel Bachmann, 2020. "Caregivers’ Experience of Caring for a Family Member with Alzheimer’s Disease: A Content Analysis of Longitudinal Social Media Communication," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-22, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:12:p:4412-:d:373736
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    4. Nicole DePasquale & Kelly D. Davis & Steven H. Zarit & Phyllis Moen & Leslie B. Hammer & David M. Almeida, 2016. "Combining Formal and Informal Caregiving Roles: The Psychosocial Implications of Double- and Triple-Duty Care," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 71(2), pages 201-211.
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    Cited by:

    1. Pavel Bachmann & Jan Hruska, 2022. "Alzheimer Caregiving Problems According to ADLs: Evidence from Facebook Support Groups," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(11), pages 1-15, May.
    2. Claudia Carmassi & Claudia Foghi & Valerio Dell’Oste & Carlo Antonio Bertelloni & Andrea Fiorillo & Liliana Dell’Osso, 2020. "Risk and Protective Factors for PTSD in Caregivers of Adult Patients with Severe Medical Illnesses: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-17, August.
    3. Alison Y. Tang & Jung Kwak & Lu Xiao & Bo Xie & Sucheta Lahiri & Olivia Aiden Flynn & Abinav Murugadass, 2023. "Online Health Information Wants of Caregivers for Persons With Dementia in Social Media," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(4), pages 21582440231, October.

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