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Open AccessJournal ArticleDOI

A Comprehensive, Stage-Sensitive Model of Grief in Dementia Caregiving

Thomas M. Meuser, +1 more
- 01 Oct 2001 - 
- Vol. 41, Iss: 5, pp 658-670
TLDR
Findings suggest that anticipatory grief in dementia caregiving is "real" grief, equivalent in intensity and breadth to death-related grief.
Abstract
Purpose: Grief is an overlooked but important element of the caregiver experience. This study defines a model of caregiver grief to aid in clinical intervention and to support further research. Design and Methods: This study addressed the grief responses of 87 spouse and adultchild caregivers of patients with progressive dementia representing mild, moderate, severe, and postdeath. Questionnaire data and qualitative findings from 16 semistructured focus group interviews provide the basis for a descriptive model of anticipatory grief in dementia caregiving. Results: Significant differences emerged between spouse and adult-child caregiver groups as a whole and as a function of Clinical Dementia Rating impairment level. Caregiver grief was found to fluctuate between intellectual, affective, and existential poles depending upon current care demands and expectations. Implications: These findings suggest that anticipatory grief in dementia caregiving is “real” grief, equivalent in intensity and breadth to death-related grief.

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Citations
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References
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Book

Focus Groups: A Practical Guide for Applied Research

TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a survey of the focus group research, focusing on the following topics: planning the group study, developing a questioning route, participants in a focus group, moderating skills, and conducting interviews with young people.
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A new clinical scale for the staging of dementia.

TL;DR: The Clinical Dementia Rating (CRD) was developed for a prospective study of mild senile dementia—Alzheimer type (SDAT), and was found to distinguish unambiguously among older subjects with a wide range of cognitive function.
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