9.1.2 Rural family carers' experiences of the nursing home placement of an older relative: A grounded theory approach (401)
Assumpta Ryan, Lecturer in Nursing, Nursing, University of Ulster, Coleraine, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom aa.ryan@ulster.ac.uk
Abstract:
Background:
Although the literature abounds with studies on the need and experiences of family carers, there is a dearth of published material on caregiving in rural areas.
Aim:
This qualitative study explored rural family carers’ experiences of the nursing home placement of an older relative.
Methods:
The study was undertaken in Northern Ireland using a grounded theory approach, consistent with the work of Strauss and Corbin (1998). Purposive sampling was used to initiate data collection and thereafter theoretical sampling was employed. Between 2003 and 2005, semi structured interviews were conducted with 29 relatives of nursing home residents. The resultant data were recorded, transcribed and analysed using constant comparisons.
Results:
Findings suggested that although family carers had a strong commitment to their caring role, a deterioration in their relatives’ condition or their own inability to cope, resulted in the nursing home placement. Decisions about entry to care were also influenced by participants’ experiences of acute care, degree of support and the nature of the caregiving relationship. The placement impacted on the older person, the family carer and the extended family.
Discussion:
Family carers had a strong sense of familiarity with the nursing homes in their area and this appeared to permeate all aspects of their experience. This familiarity was influenced by the relatively rural communities in which respondents resided and by an efficient ‘grapevine’, which seemed to thrive in these small communities. This familiarity, in turn, influenced the choice of nursing home, timing of the placement and responses of family carers.
Conclusion:
The theory that emerged suggests that familiarity was the key factor influencing rural family carers’ experiences of the nursing home placement of an older relative. The findings indicate that issues such as rurality and familiarity warrant a more detailed exploration in policy development and research on entry to care.
Recommended reading list:
- Strauss, A. and Corbin, J. (1998) Basics of Qualitative Research: Techniques and Procedures for Developing Grounded Theory (2nd Ed.). Thousand Oaks: London
Source of Funding: UK - Professional Education Regulating Body
Amount in Funding: 10,001 - 50,000
Biography:
Dr Assumpta Ryan graduated from the University of Ulster with a PhD in 2006. She is currently a Lecturer at the School of Nursing and a member of the Institute of Nursing Research at the University of Ulster. Dr Ryan’s clinical interest is gerontological nursing and the care of older people. Research interests include the needs and experiences of family carers, community care and the impact of a move to a care home on older people and their families. She has presented papers at a range of conferences and has over 30 publications in international journals.