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 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 Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Small, J. A. Articles by Gutman, G. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Small, J. A. Articles by Gutman, G. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Communication between individuals with dementia and their caregivers during activities of daily living

School of Audiology and Speech Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Kathy Geldart, MA

Gloria Gutman, PhD

Gerontology Research Centre, Simon Fraser University at Harbour Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Much previous research has focused on linguistic factors that can lead to communication breakdown in caregiver-patient interactions. However, the impact of such linguistic deficits on communication may vary depending on the context, goals, and complexity of the interaction. As a result, the likelihood of experiencing communication problems is expected to differ across different activities. In the present study, family caregivers of persons with dementia were asked to discuss communication challenges that they have experienced in a range of daily activities in the home. Four focus groups, involving a total of 22 caregivers, were conducted in community settings. The main goal of the focus groups was to identify specific daily activities in the home in which caregivers most often experience communication problems. The content of the focus groups was audio recorded and transcribed, and then coded and analyzed using qualitative and quantitative analytic techniques. The analyses focused on identifying trends across caregivers in which particular activities were noted as being prone to communication breakdown at different stages of the disease. Information about which activities are most communicatively challenging should assist caregivers in preparing for and adapting to these changes.

American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias®, Vol. 15, No. 5, 291-302 (2000)
DOI: 10.1177/153331750001500511


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