I Nöd och Lust : En kvalitativ studie om att vårda en anhörig

Background: Alzheimers disease is an irreversible progressive disease with increasing prevalence. Previous research shows that professional carers for patients with Alzheimers disease has an increased risk for burnout and being exposed to physical and mental abuse. The reason is the symptoms that Alzheimers entails. Aim: The purpose with this study is to describe the experience of being a family carer to a spouse with Alzheimers disease. Method: A qualitative, manifest content analysis with an inductive approach based on five biographies Findings: Two categories were identified; suffering and vitality. From suffering three under categories were identified; experiencing frustration, experiencing loneliness and experiencing ambivalence. Despite the suffering, positive experiences could be found in the category of vitality. From vitality two undercategories were identified; experiencing hope and experiencing support. Conclusion: Family carers experienced an emotional roller-coaster. The experiences caused suffering but also vitality that depended on hope and support. Individuals with Alzheimers disease is not a patient to the family carer, the person is a soulmate who painfully disappears. This knowledge is relevant for current and future nurses. This because Alzheimers disease is increasing and these patients among with their family is commonly occurring in many aspects of the care-system