Cited by 129Dementia and Cognitive Impairment ResearchNursing care and researchResilience and Mental Health

What are the factors that facilitate or hinder resilience in older spousal dementia carers? A qualitative study

Donnellan, Warren J., Bennett, Kate M., Soulsby, Laura K.·2015·Aging & Mental Health

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Much is known about the factors making caring for a spouse with dementia burdensome. However, relatively little is known about factors that help some spouses become resilient. We define resilience as 'the process of negotiating, managing and adapting to significant sources of stress or trauma'. We aimed to assess whether spousal dementia carers can achieve resilience and to highlight which assets and resources they draw on to facilitate or hinder resilience, using an ecological framework . METHOD: Twenty in-depth qualitative interviews with spousal carers from two carer support groups and a care home in North West England. RESULTS: Eight participants were resilient and 12 were not. A resilient carer was characterised as someone who stays positive and actively maintained their relationship and loved one's former self. Resilient carers were knowledgeable and well supported by family but especially friends, with whom they shared this knowledge. They were more actively engaged with services such as respite care. CONCLUSION: There is a need to move towards more ecological models of resilience. We propose that access to assets and resources is not always sufficient to facilitate resilience. Implications of these findings are discussed.

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Crossref · 10.1080/13607863.2014.977771

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  • Resilience has been examined in contexts including natural disasters, bereavement, dementia care, poverty, war, and other traumas.

    “Thus, resilience has been examined in a number of contexts: natural disasters [12, 13], bereavement [14], dementia care [15, 16], poverty [17], war [18] and other traumas [19, 20].”

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Authors
Donnellan, W. J., Bennett, K. M., & Soulsby, L. K.
Affiliations
University of Liverpool (GB)
Corresponding author
Donnellan, Warren J.
Venue
Aging & Mental Health
Published
2014-11-20
Volume
19
Issue
10
Pages
932-939
ISSN
  • 1360-7863 (ISSN-L)
  • 1364-6915
OpenAlex
W2154565138
Cited by
129
References
26
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 5
FWCI
6.87
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Aging & Mental Health (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › Pharmacy › Nursing care and research
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Resilience and Mental Health
Keywords
resilience, elderly caregivers, dementia caregiving, ecological model, social support, respite care, carer support groups, relationship maintenance, carer stress, family support
MeSH terms
Adaptation, Psychological, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Attitude to Health, Dementia, England, Female, Health Services Needs and Demand, Home Nursing, Humans, Interviews as Topic, Male, Middle Aged, Respite Care, Social Support, Stress, Psychological, Caregivers, Spouses, Qualitative Research, Resilience, Psychological

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