A holistic snapshot of the impact of caring for a loved one who has Alzheimer’s disease: The collective reality from onset to end of life and beyond

Alzheimer’s is a ubiquitous disease. Referred to in terms of “a global epidemic”, the current estimate of people living with Alzheimer’s disease is 32.76 million. In Australia, alone, there is a current estimate of 289,177 care receivers and the co-related projection is that by 2025 there will be 255,800 informal caregivers caring for loved ones with the condition. This thesis focuses on investigating the question, What is the holistic and collective reality of caregivers’ c nceptions and understandings about the impact of caring for a loved one who has Alzheimer’s disease when the trajectory of caregiving spans from onset to end-of-life and beyond? Under the overarching umbrella of a qualitative paradigm, design, data collection, and analysis strategies were implemented within a framework of social constructivism. A hybrid methodology was believed to be the most effective tool to achieve the aim and to answer the research question.Submitted in the fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, University of the Sunshine Coast, 2018