Stressors and coping strategies in Chinese family caregivers of people with dementia in long-term care facilities: A qualitative descriptive study
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to explore the stressors along with coping strategies in Chinese family caregivers whose relative with dementia had been placed into a long-term care facility. METHODS: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted with 17 Chinese family caregivers of institutionalised older adults with dementia, recruited via purposeful sampling. Information regarding stressors along with coping strategies was collected through face-to-face semi-structured individual interviews. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, anonymised and imported into MAXQDA 2018.2. Data were analysed with qualitative content analysis. FINDINGS: Three categories of stressors emerged: socioeconomic pressure, hassles arising from continuing caregiving and suboptimal care provided by the facility. In particular, the family caregivers' experienced tremendous pressure of negative comments from people around since long-term care placement was traditionally viewed as unfilial in Chinese societies. Various coping strategies were adopted by Chinese family caregivers to deal with the stressors; however, they were not always adaptive. IMPLICATIONS: Health care authorities and professionals should recognise family caregivers' stressors after long-term care placement of a relative with dementia with the consideration of the unique socio-cultural needs. Appropriate and effective interventions should be developed and implemented to facilitate family caregivers to cope with stressful situations after long-term care placement and further to safeguard their psychosocial well-being.
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The decision to move a loved one, frequently perceived as a "last resort," was commonly met with resistance, anxiety, and grief.
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From Mind the gap: a systematic review of barriers, facilitators, and experiences of care transitions for people living with dementia and their informal caregivers. (2026) · cites this paper as Hui et al., 2022
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- Authors
- Hui, Z., Yang, C., & Fan Lee, D. T.
- Affiliations
- Xi'an Jiaotong University (CN)
- Chinese University of Hong Kong (HK)
- The Nethersole School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Corresponding author
- Hui, Zhaozhao
- Venue
- Dementia
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2022-02-08
- Volume
- 21
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 957-971
- ISSN
- 1471-3012 (ISSN-L)
- 1741-2684
- OpenAlex
- W4210882250
- Cited by
- 16
- References
- 39
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 3
- FWCI
- 2.30
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Dementia (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Geriatric Care and Nursing Homes
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Pharmacy › Nursing care and research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
- Keywords
- family caregivers, long-term care facilities, caregiver stressors, coping strategies, socio-economic pressures, stigma, institutionalized elderly, Chinese caregivers, caregiver well-being, quality of care
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Psychological, Aged, China, Dementia, Family, Humans, Long-Term Care, Caregivers, Qualitative Research
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