치매노인과 부양가족 간의 의사소통과 삶의 질과의 관계

A Qualitative Study on Communication between Elders Living with Dementia and Their Family Caregivers and their Quality of Life

The purpose of this study was to analyze communication between elders with dementia and theirfamily caregivers and to investigate its impacts on family caregivers' quality of life. The data werecollected by in-depth interviews with 12 family caregivers who have provided care for theirdemented elders for at least six months. The collected data were analyzed by using the constantcomparative analysis method. The findings were categorized into the following three themes: thefirst theme was various types of challenges for family caregivers in communicating with theirelders living with dementia; the second theme was the mental, physical, and emotional quality of lifeof family caregivers in communicating with their elders living with dementia; and the third themewas various types of changes that family caregivers hope will occur in the future. This study willhelp to develop social services and programs for communication for family caregivers who take careof their elders living with dementia.