This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Liken, M. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Liken, M. A. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Critical Incidents Precipitating Institutionalization of a Relative with Alzheimer’s

Department of Family and Community Health Nursing, The University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina

Despite the stressors of caring for a relative with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), families institutionalize their loved one only as a last resort. What constitutes this last resort? Predictors of and risks for institutionalization have been widely examined by researchers for two decades. To date, values underpinning the critical incident leading to institutionalization of a relative with AD have not been explored. The purpose of this secondary analysis of 20 interviews with family caregivers who had recently institutionalized their relative with AD was to examine underlying values that precipitated the move. Mitchell’s definition, in 1983, of a critical incident was used as a guiding framework. Three major themes were identified: "I couldn’t forgive myself if something happened,""It was ruining my life," and "I had no choice." The ability to identify underlying values precipitating critical events may help nurses plan interventions to assist increasing numbers of families faced with institutionalizing a relative with AD as our population ages.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. E. Gaugler and R. L. Kane Families and Assisted Living Gerontologist, December 1, 2007; 47(suppl_1): 83 - 99. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Ortiz, L. J. Fitten, J. L. Cummings, S. Hwang, and M. Fonseca Neuropsychiatric and behavioral symptoms in a community sample of Hispanics with Alzheimer's disease. American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias, August 1, 2006; 21(4): 263 - 273. [Abstract] [PDF]

				OTHER ARTICLES NOTED (Nov 01 to 18 Oct 02) Evid. Based Nurs., January 1, 2003; 6(1): e1 - 1. [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Ploeg 3 themes related to a critical incident were identified in the decision to place a relative with Alzheimer's disease in an assisted living facility Evid. Based Ment. Health, November 1, 2001; 4(4): 126 - 126. [Full Text] [PDF]