Au-delà des variables climatiques, d’autres facteurs non climatiques sont à considérer dans l’analyse de la vulnérabilité et de l’adaptation au changement et variabilité climatiques. Cette mutation de paradigme place l’agent humain au centre du processus d’adaptation au changement climatique, notamment en ce qui concerne le rôle des réseaux sociaux dans la transmission des nouvelles idées. Dans le domaine de l’agriculture, le recours aux innovations est prôné comme stratégie d’adaptation. L’élaboration et l’appropriation de ces stratégies d’adaptation peuvent être considérées comme des processus d’innovation qui dépendent autant du contexte social et culturel d’un territoire, de sa dynamique, ainsi que de la stratégie elle-même. Aussi, l’appropriation et la diffusion d’une innovation s’opèrent à partir d’un processus décisionnel à l’échelle de l’exploitation agricole, qui à son tour, demande une compréhension des multiples forces et facteurs externes et internes à l’exploitation et les multiples objectifs de l’exploitant. Ainsi, la compréhension de l’environnement décisionnel de l’exploitant agricole à l’échelle de la ferme est vitale, car elle est un préalable incontournable au succès et à la durabilité de toute politique d’adaptation de l’agriculture. Or, dans un secteur comme l’agriculture, il est reconnu que les réseaux sociaux par exemple, jouent un rôle crucial dans l’adaptation notamment, par le truchement de la diffusion des innovations. Aussi, l’objectif de cette recherche est d’analyser comment les exploitants agricoles s’approprient et conçoivent les stratégies d’adaptation au changement et à la variabilité climatiques dans une perspective de diffusion des innovations. Cette étude a été menée en Montérégie-Ouest, région du sud-ouest du Québec, connue pour être l’une des plus importantes régions agricoles du Québec, en raison des facteurs climatiques et édaphiques favorables. Cinquante-deux entrevues ont été conduites auprès de différents intervenants à l’agriculture aux niveaux local et régional. L’approche grounded theory est utilisée pour analyser, et explorer les contours de l’environnement décisionnel des exploitants agricoles relativement à l’utilisation des innovations comme stratégie d’adaptation. Les résultats montrent que les innovations ne sont pas implicitement conçues pour faire face aux changements et à la variabilité climatiques même si l’évolution du climat influence leur émergence, la décision d’innover étant largement déterminée par des considérations économiques. D’autre part, l‘étude montre aussi une faiblesse du capital sociale au sein des exploitants agricoles liée à l’influence prépondérante exercée par le secteur privé, principal fournisseur de matériels et intrants agricoles. L’influence du secteur privé se traduit par la domination des considérations économiques sur les préoccupations écologiques et la tentation du profit à court terme de la part des exploitants agricoles, ce qui pose la problématique de la soutenabilité des interventions en matière d’adaptation de l’agriculture québécoise. L’étude fait ressortir aussi la complémentarité entre les réseaux sociaux informels et les structures formelles de soutien à l’adaptation, de même que la nécessité d’établir des partenariats. De plus, l’étude place l’adaptation de l’agriculture québécoise dans une perspective d’adaptation privée dont la réussite repose sur une « socialisation » des innovations, laquelle devrait conduire à l’émergence de processus institutionnels formels et informels. La mise en place de ce type de partenariat peut grandement contribuer à améliorer le processus d’adaptation à l’échelle locale. / Other than climatic variables, non-climatic factors should be considered in the analysis of vulnerability and adaptation to climate change and variability. This shift in paradigm places the human agent at the centre of the process of adaptation to climate change, particularly with regard to the role of social networks in the transmission of new ideas. In agriculture, the use of innovations is advocated as a coping strategy. The development and adoption of these coping strategies can be considered innovative processes that depend as much on the social and cultural context of a country, its dynamics, and the strategy itself. Also, the ownership and dissemination of an innovation are taking place from a decision-making across the farm, which in turn requires an understanding of the multiple forces and external and internal factors in operation and the multiple objectives of the operator. Thus, understanding of the farmer’s decision- making environment at the farm level is vital because it is a prerequisite for the success and sustainability of any agricultural adaptation policy. However, in a sector like agriculture, it is recognized that social networks for example, play a crucial role in adaptation in particular, through the diffusion of innovations. Therefore, the objective of this research is to analyze how farmers take ownership and design strategies to adapt to climate change and variability from the perspective of diffusion of innovations. This study was conducted in Montérégie- West, a region located in the southwestern part of Quebec and which is known to be one of its most important agricultural regions, due to favorable climatic and soil factors. Fifty-two interviews were conducted with various stakeholders in agriculture at local as well as regional levels. The grounded theory approach is used to analyze and explore the contours of farmers’s decision-making environment regarding the use of innovation as a coping strategy. The results show that innovations are not implicitly designed to cope with climate change and variability even if climate change affects their emergence. The decision to innovate is largely determined by economic considerations. Moreover, the study also shows a weakness of social capital within farmers groups related to the overriding influence of the private sector, which are the main supplier of materials and agricultural inputs. The influence of the private sector has resulted in the dominance of economic considerations over environmental concerns and the temptation of short-term profit from the farmers, which raises the issue of sustainability of interventions in adaptation of Quebec’s agriculture. The study also highlights the complementarity between informal social networks and formal structures of support for adaptation, as well as the need to build partnerships. In addition, the study places the adaptation of Quebec’s agriculture from the perspective of private adaptation whose success is based on a "socialization" of innovations, which should lead to the emergence of formal and informal institutional processes. The establishment of such partnerships can greatly help improve the adaptation process at the local level.

Die qualitative Studie befasst sich mit der Lebenslage von (Ehe-)Paaren, welche in ihrer gemeinsamen Zeit als Zweierbeziehung den Eintritt einer sogenannten „Spätbehinderung“ durch plötzliches Krankheits- oder Unfallgeschehen oder aufgrund einer chronischen Erkrankung erleben. Die inhaltliche Fragestellung richtet sich auf die soziale Handlungspraxis partnerschaftlicher Arbeitsorganisation im Zusammenhang mit dem Eintritt einer körperlichen „Behinderung“ sowie auf die partnerschaftliche Deutung von „Körperbehinderung“ im Rahmen der dyadischen Wirklichkeitskonstruktion. In Erweiterung des aktuellen Forschungsstands wird diesbezüglich nicht allein auf die individuelle Sichtweise des „betroffenen Partners“ oder des „angehörigen Partners“ fokussiert, sondern auch die gemeinsame Ebene dyadischer Wirklichkeitskonstruktion miteinbezogen. Die Datengrundlage dieser Studie im Stil der Grounded Theory Methodologie bilden fünfzehn Interviewreihen, bestehend aus einem Paarinterview (narratives Interview) und anschließenden Einzelinterviews (problemzentriertes Interview) mit jedem Partner. Im Ergebnisteil verdeutlichen sieben Fallbeschreibungen die komplexe paarspezifische Bearbeitung einer „Spätbehinderung“ im Rahmen von Biographie, Ressourcen und Körperlichkeit. Theoretisch verdichtet werden die Ergebnisse in einer Konzeption partnerschaftlicher Konstruktion von Behinderung im Kontext von Leiberfahrung und Körperbetrachtung. Die partnerschaftliche Alltagsverhandlung dreht sich im Zuge der Neukonstruktion von Alltag und „Normalität“ um die körperliche Funktionsfähigkeit des Partners mit Beeinträchtigung und verhandelt dessen Veränderung der Körperlichkeit dabei gleichzeitig mit, wobei körperliche, kulturelle, medizinische und sozialpolitische Aspekte in die partnerschaftliche Deutung mit hinein spielen. Zudem berühren derlei Aushandlungen zentrale Grunddefinitionen von Partnerschaft wie Individualitätsentfaltung, Intimität und Privatheit. / This study focusses on the circumstances of marriage and quasi-marital couples, which experience together diability in later couple lifetime by occurence of chronical illness or impairment of one of the couples members. The contentwise question is on one hand targeted at the social practice of work processes and tasks of couples related to the life change through the occurence of impairment. On the other hand the study demands on the couples interpretation of this experience. The data basis consists of fifteen narrative interview cycles each containing one interview with the couple plus one interview with each marriage partner. Here the situation of a suddenly interruption of everyday life through an event of accident or illness has been contrasted with the situation of chronic ailment with its progressing loss of physical power. The study approach of interviewing, analysing and interpretation founds on the principles of the Grounded Theory Methodology. The results are presented twofold. Firstly seven case reconstructions clarify the couple''s coping with physical body change in the context of biography, capabilities and resources, and physicality and illustrate similarities and differences of the couple’s topics. After this a conception of the couple''s construction of reality in the case of an impairment experience were tendered. It describes the couple’s experience of change, disability and normality as a experience of the physical and functional body, which cannot be extricated from cultural and socio-political framing. Specifically, the main topic of the couple’s negotation concern on the one hand the self-activity of the partner with impairment and on the other hand the availability of the other part and his / her duty to compensate for both the lack of paid work and the increasing amount of time spent for everyday life. Significant is the fact that in this process challenge central positions of the couple’s intimacy and privateness.

<p>The aim of this study has been to investigate, through the narratives of ex-perienced teachers, insights and strategies in the teaching of history in upper secondary school. Based on a flexible grounded theory, life history and theories of pedagogical content knowledge, seven experienced history teachers have been interviewed about their conceptions of history teaching.</p><p>Development of insights into history teaching and the formation of knowledge can be described as involving both a refinement of practice and more revolutionary turning points. These insights emphasize that good knowledge of the subject is central for legitimacy and creativity. History teaching in Sweden is described as increasingly international and contem-porary, and focussed on students’ learning from various points of view. Varied teaching is stressed with the teacher in centre and also being able to take the role of arranger. Of importance is also the handling of teaching in history as a foundation course as well as an advanced or specialized course.</p><p>Influences from other subjects have had a diverse impact at the same time as personal interests and experiences, as well as external influences, have been important for the development of strategies. History teachers’ teaching strategies may be described in terms of 1) multiperspectivity, where different points of view and interpretations of history are central; 2) narrative history, where through both major and minor stories, a chronological structure and animation of the subject of history are strived after; 3) social scientific history, which uses history to explain contemporary society through making comparisons and seeking general patterns; and 4) an eclectic strategy, which strives after varieties of an individualised teaching of history by allowing students to make their ways into history in diverse ways. The experienced history teachers’ narratives make evident how the subject of history can be transformed, they demonstrate different conceivable ways of teaching history and reveal its complexity.</p><p>The teachers’ narratives show how, through their strategies in interaction with their insights in history teaching, they have created an overview and structure in the complex reality of teaching history. The teachers’ insights and strategies constitute a practice based contribution to a more experience informed practice and research on the teaching of history.</p>

Background: The common staff approach in psychiatric care has not been studied explicitly before. Earlier studies in related areas of social processes in psychiatric care highlight the importance of the interaction between the patient and the carer to understanding communication patterns and attitudes. Other studies on social order and power in psychiatric care shows carers and patients as taking part in a hierarchical system in which patients are subordinate to carers. Aim: The overall aim of this thesis is to study the phenomenon of the common staff approach in psychiatric care, how it emerges, and how it is used and experienced by both carers and patients. Method: In the first study, grounded theory was applied to data from observations and interviews carried out with carers and clients in two psychiatric care group dwellings. In the second and third studies, a phenomenological hermeneutic method was used to analyse narrative interviews conducted with nine careers working on psychiatric wards and nine patients with experience of psychiatric in-care, respectively. In the fourth study, qualitative content analysis was used to analyse data obtained by a vignette method from interviews with 13 carers with experience of working in psychiatric in-care. Results: A common staff approach can be understood as a social process in municipality-level group dwellings and psychiatric in-care, imposed by carers on clients or patients with the aim of restoring a predetermined order desired by the carers. When the order is disturbed the carers try to restore it by adopting a common and consistent approach towards the single patient perceived as the threat to order. Barriers to the success of a common staff approach, from the point of view of the carers, include the likelihood that colleagues will interpret situations differently, the chance that patients might succeed in dividing carers into “good” and “bad” camps, and the knowledge that the patient suffers under a common staff approach. The patients’ experiences partly confirm those of the carers – the dominant picture is that the patient feels persecuted and suffers under a common staff approach. However in some situations, patients can perceived the common approach as supportive and aimed to promote their recovery. Carers’ ethical reasoning about the common staff approach is usually applied on an individual basis; it can change depending upon the patient, the situation, and the proposed approach, as well as upon how the approach might affect other patients, staff members, or the carers themselves. Conclusions: The overall results from the four studies show that the common staff approach may meet carers’ needs, which under the approach take precedence over those of patients, but that the approach is more an exercise in asserting power and maintaining control than it is a therapeutic technique; that it is a difficult choice for the single carer to choose between the interests of the patient and the approval of colleagues; that the patient often suffers when a common staff approach is used; and that carers are seldom aware of the suffering experienced by the patient being managed by such an approach. A common staff approach has no part in a care-strategy; it is not an intentional care-plan; instead it appears to be a way for carers who feel vulnerable and under pressure to maintain order by controlling particular patients.

Syftet med den här avhandlingen är att utveckla en begreppslig och teoretiserande förståelse för villkor och möjligheter i överviktiga personers handlingsliv. Med utgångspunkt i intervjuer med femton feta svenskar har slutpunkten för studien kommit att bli en artikulering av processer och subprocesser inom viktordningen. Viktordningen är ett system som ordnar alla horisontellt, som underviktiga, normalviktiga eller överviktiga. Den ordnar oss även vertikalt, genom att över - och underordna oss beroende på vilken viktkategori vi tillhör. Det innebär att vissa gynnas medan andra missgynnas. Att feta är en grupp som i den västerländska kulturen tenderar att både underordnas, förtryckas och missgynnas har humanistiskt och samhällsvetenskapligt orienterad fetmaforskning visat. Den forskningen, såväl som fetas redogörelser för sina liv, vittnar också om det viktordnande systemet. Genom att teoretisera kring viktordningen vill jag öka förståelsen för hur underordandet, förtrycket och missgynnande av feta är möjligt. Viktordningen är således inte i sig ett system för underordning av feta. De som dominerar är själva i vissa avseenden dominerade. Underordandet är snarare en effekt sprungna ur det viktordnande systemet. Viktordningen inkluderar mer än det som uppmärksammas i den här studien. Den teoretiserande framställningen behandlar fyra processer samt viktiga subprocesser och element i viktordningen: viktordnandets betingelser, viktiggörande, inordnande viktgörande och oviktiggörande. Viktordnande betingelser behandlar de kulturella och sociala förutsättningar som möjliggör viktordningens existens. Dessa betingelser gör att vikten blir viktig mer allmänt och för alla. I de övriga processerna är det fetas position och roll i viktordningen som är i fokus. Viktiggörande, belyser olika sätt varigenom feta människor kan kommer att uppleva och uppfatta sin övervikt som något negativt viktigt i sina liv. Inordnande viktgörande behandlar de sociala och kulturella medel som är ämnade att göra den feta smal (-are). Dessa tenderar också att göra vikten negativt viktig för feta. De tre första processerna behandlar syftets första del, det vill säga fetas villkor. Syftets andra del, möjligheterna, lyfts fram i den fjärde och sista processen, oviktiggöranden. Oviktiggörande kan enkelt beskrivas som viktiggörandets motkrafter, och refererar till hur feta kan göra sin övervikt mindre viktig. / The purpose of this thesis is to develop a conceptual and theorizing understanding of circumstances and possibilities in fat people’s lives. Starting in interviews with fifteen fat Swedes, this research finally ended up as an articulation of processes and sub-processes within the weight order. The weight order is a system that orders all of us horizontally as underweight, normal weight or overweight. It also orders us vertically as super- or subordered depending on which weight category we belong to. This means that some are favoured while others are unfairly treated. The fact that fat people in Western cultures tend to be sub-ordered, oppressed and unfairly treated because of their body sizes and weights has already been shown in previous research, and this study does not treat that issue to any great extent. Instead it focuses on the ordering system that is evident in fat people’s statements and in previous research about fatness and overweight within the humanities and social sciences. By theorizing around weight order I wish to broaden the understanding of how subordination, oppression and unfair treatment of fat people are possible. The weight order is not a system for subordination of fat people. Those who dominate are also in some sense dominated. Subordination is rather an effect driven by the weight-ordered system. The weight order is a more inclusive conception than has been presented in this study. The theoretical treaties examine four processes, sub-processes and elements within the weight order. These include weight-ordering conditions, weightification, subsuming weightdoing, and downplaying weightification. Weight-ordering conditions deal with cultural and social circumstances that make the weight order possible. These conditions are processes that no one can fully escape. In the other processes it is only fat people’s positions and roles within the weight order that is in focus. Weightification consists of the processes that make body weight important in people’s lives. In this work weightification highlights different forms that make fat people experience and understand their overweight as negatively important in their lives. Subsuming weight-doings deals with social and cultural means that are intended to make fat people thin (-er). These also tend to make the  body weight negative for fat people. The three first processes treat the first part of the aim, fat people’s conditions. The second part of the aim, possibilities, is dealt with in the fourth and last process, downplaying weightification. Downplaying weightification can simply be described as including the opposite forces to weightification, and deals with how fat people can make their overweight less important.

The aim of this study has been to investigate, through the narratives of ex-perienced teachers, insights and strategies in the teaching of history in upper secondary school. Based on a flexible grounded theory, life history and theories of pedagogical content knowledge, seven experienced history teachers have been interviewed about their conceptions of history teaching. Development of insights into history teaching and the formation of knowledge can be described as involving both a refinement of practice and more revolutionary turning points. These insights emphasize that good knowledge of the subject is central for legitimacy and creativity. History teaching in Sweden is described as increasingly international and contem-porary, and focussed on students’ learning from various points of view. Varied teaching is stressed with the teacher in centre and also being able to take the role of arranger. Of importance is also the handling of teaching in history as a foundation course as well as an advanced or specialized course. Influences from other subjects have had a diverse impact at the same time as personal interests and experiences, as well as external influences, have been important for the development of strategies. History teachers’ teaching strategies may be described in terms of 1) multiperspectivity, where different points of view and interpretations of history are central; 2) narrative history, where through both major and minor stories, a chronological structure and animation of the subject of history are strived after; 3) social scientific history, which uses history to explain contemporary society through making comparisons and seeking general patterns; and 4) an eclectic strategy, which strives after varieties of an individualised teaching of history by allowing students to make their ways into history in diverse ways. The experienced history teachers’ narratives make evident how the subject of history can be transformed, they demonstrate different conceivable ways of teaching history and reveal its complexity. The teachers’ narratives show how, through their strategies in interaction with their insights in history teaching, they have created an overview and structure in the complex reality of teaching history. The teachers’ insights and strategies constitute a practice based contribution to a more experience informed practice and research on the teaching of history.

German text / In dieser Forschungsarbeit wird qualitativ das missionarische Engagement der sansibarischen Christen den einheimischen muslimischen Sansibaris gegenüber auf förderliche und hinderliche Faktoren untersucht. Das Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es, diese Faktoren aufzuzeigen und dadurch ein Bewusstsein für die Problematik der fehlenden Ganzheitlichkeit zu schaffen, damit hier gegengesteuert werden kann. Dazu wird zunächst der ethnologische und religionsgeschichtliche Hintergrund über Sansibar vorgestellt. Danach wird die geschichtliche Entwicklung und das heutige Bild der sansibarischen Gemeinden und Kirchen skizziert, um anschließend anhand des empirischtheologischen Praxiszyklus die Planung, die Durchführung und die Ergebnisse qualitativer Interviews mit jeweils drei Pastoren und leitenden Mitarbeiterinnen sansibarischer Gemeinden und Kirchen darzustellen. Mit Hilfe der Grounded Theory lassen sich zwei Tendenzen von kaum bis bedingt gelebter ganzheitlicher Missionspraxis der Gemeinden und Kirchen und ihr jenseitsorientiertes Evangeliumsverständnis als Ursache dessen identifizieren. Abschließend wird der Ist-Zustand der Missionspraxis der Gemeinden und Kirchen beschrieben, indem basierend auf den Forschungsergebnissen Thesen formuliert werden. / This research work qualitatively examines the beneficial and hindering factors of the missionary commitment of the Zanzibari Christians to the native population. The aim is to describe these factors and to create an awareness for the lack of holistic mission so that countermeasures can be taken. Firstly, background information about Zanzibar is presented. Next, the historical development and current church landscape are described. Based on the empirical-theological practice cycle, the planning and execution as well as the results of qualitative interviews carried out with six church workers are then presented. Furthermore, based on the Grounded Theory, two tendencies of their mission practice ranging from negligible to minimal are identified, caused by a kingdom-come orientation concerning the understanding of the Gospel. Last but not least, based on the research results, the actual state of the mission practice of the Zanzibari churches is presented in three theses.

Social Software-Technologien finden immer stärker Einzug in den Intranets der Unternehmen. Insbesondere der Einsatz von Enterprise Wikis hat sich durchgesetzt. In diesem Paper wird untersucht, auf welche Art und Weise Enterprise Wikis eingesetzt werden können. Hierfür wird mittels der Grounded Theory-Methodik eine Untersuchung des Enterprise Wikis „TeamWeb“ der T-Systems Multimedia Solutions GmbH durchgeführt. Auf Basis einer Analyse der TeamWeb-Spaces wird eine Einsatzszenarien-Typologie konstruiert, welche die Typen „Bereichspräsentation und -kommunikation“, „Nachschlagen und Lernen“, „Projekt- und Bereichsorganisation“ und „Kollaborative Konzeption“ unterscheidet. Im Anschluss wurde die der Nutzung zugrundeliegende Motivation mit Hilfe von semi-strukturierten Gesprächen mit den Wiki-Nutzern weiterführend untersucht. Hierbei wurde festgestellt, dass die Nutzungsmotive ausschließlich egoistischer Natur sind. Diese Erkenntnis wird im Paper zu einer allgemeinen Theorie zur Nutzungsmotivation in Enterprise Wikis ausgebaut.

Livssituationer præget af mange komplekse psykosociale og helbredsmæssige problemstillinger fordrer en anden grad af tværfagligt samarbejde i social- og sundhedssektoren. En samtidig øgetfokusering på forebyggelse og sundhedsfremme har øget behovet for udvikling af kundskaber og kompetencer, som kan matche disse udfordringer. Målet med studiet er, at identificere mulige mønstre vedrørende erfaringer med udvikling af fælles kundskaber og kompetencer i tværfaglige team som arbejder forebyggende og sundhedsfremmende. Der er tale om et kvalitativt studie, som bygger på fokusgruppeinterview med deltagelse af 25professionelle fra ni team inden for social-og sundhedssektoren. Otte faggrupper var repræsenteret.Der blev anvendt en memoreret temaguide til interviewene. Grounded theory blev anvendt til dataanalyse. Studiets overordnede kernekategori blev defineret som: ”sociokulturel organisation sætter dagsordenen for udvikling af kundskaber og kompetencer”. Der fremkom yderligere tre hovedkategorier som relaterede sig til kernekategorien: ”det nødvendige professionelle fundament,”den forebyggende og sundhedsfremmende diskurs”, og ”de tavse kundskaber og kompetencer”. Konklusion: Hovedfundet i studiet viste at sociokulturel organisation har væsentlig indflydelse påtværfaglige teams muligheder for at udvikle kundskaber og kompetencer i det forebyggende og sundhedsfremmende arbejde. Skabes der ikke lærings- og refleksionsrumi praksisfællesskabernereduceres mulighederne for, at den ”tavse” kundskab sættes i spil med den eksplicitte kundskab / Situations of life characterised by numerous complex psychosocial and health problems demand another extent in interprofessional co-operation in social and health service. At the same timeincreased focus on prevention and health promotion have raised the necessity of knowledge andcompetence creation that is able to deal with these complex challenges. The aim of this study is to identify possible patterns of experience with creation of shared knowledgeand competence in interprofessional co-operation with focus on prevention and health promotion.The studyis based on qualitative interviews in focus groups and memorized theme guide was used.The analyzing process was based on grounded theory. 25 professionals represented eight occupationgroups from nine social and health service teams. The overall core categories emerge as: ”social cultural organization sets the agenda for creation of knowledge and competence”. Three additional overall categories related to the core category definedas: ”the needful professional foundation”, “the discourse of prevention and health promotion” and“the tacit knowledge and competence”. Conclusions: The overall findings pointed out the essential influence of the social culturalorganization on the possibility of the interprofessional co-operation to create shared knowledge in the prevention and health promotion. If space for learning and reflection in community of practice is not created the feasibility of meetings between tacit and explicit knowledge will be reduced / <p>ISBN 91-7997-099-0</p>

Abstract The prevalence of memory disorders is increasing worldwide due to an aging population. The condition affects not only those with the disorder, but also their families and the wider social network. Establishing services that meet the needs of patients and their families is a topical issue and requires knowledge produced from service user viewpoints. However there remains limited knowledge of how families manage their lives when there is a memory disorder. This study produces a substantive theory that describes the processes of managing life after disclosure of a progressive memory disorder from the viewpoint of individuals with that diagnosis and their family caregivers. A qualitative longitudinal research design informed by grounded theory methodology was undertaken. Research data were gathered for 2006–2009 using in-depth interviews (n=40) from those with the memory disorder (n=8) and their family caregivers (n=8). The data were analyzed using a constant comparative analysis. A core category ‘Accepting memory disorder as part of family life’ with related categories and subcategories was formulated from the gathered data. Family illness trajectory begins when patients or close relatives recognize the symptoms. Diagnosis of memory disorder is a turning point in that trajectory. It changes the course of lives for both individuals and their whole family and leads families to seek a new equilibrium. Altering life challenges people with the diagnosis and their family caregivers to restructure their roles and identities. Adjusting to altering self and adapting to the new role of caregiver are intertwined processes. Families strive to manage these changes by acknowledging available qualities and resources, seeking meaningful social support and living for today. Managing life with a memory disorder produces mutual processes in families that contain both positive and negative factors. Accepting memory disorder as part of family life represents a hope-fostering adjustment. The findings confirm and supplement the knowledge base in nursing science of family experiences and the means families use for managing life after diagnosis of a progressive memory disorder. These findings can be well utilized by professionals working with patients and their families who are living with newly diagnosed memory disorder while also advancing nursing education. / Tiivistelmä Väestön ikääntymisen vuoksi muistisairauksien esiintyvyys on kasvussa koko maailmassa. Etenevä muistisairaus vaikuttaa sekä sairastuneiden että perheiden elämään, ja heidän tarpeisiinsa vastaavien palvelujen kehittäminen on ajankohtaista. Perheiden selviytymistä koskevaa tutkimustietoa palvelujen kehittämiseksi on kuitenkin rajallisesti. Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli kehittää aineistolähtöinen teoria, joka kuvaa muistisairaiden ja omaishoitajien elämänhallinnan prosesseja muistisairausdiagnoosin varmistumisen jälkeen. Tutkimus oli laadullinen pitkittäistutkimus, jossa aineisto kerättiin vuosina 2006–2009 syvähaastattelemalla (n=40) sekä sairastuneita (n=8) että heidän omaisiaan (n=8). Aineisto analysoitiin grounded theory -metodologian jatkuvan vertailun analyysimenetelmällä. Tutkimuksessa tuotetun aineistolähtöisen teorian ydinkategoriaksi muodostui ’Muistisairauden hyväksyminen osaksi perheen elämää’. Ydinkategoriaan olivat yhteydessä pää- ja alakategoriat, jotka kuvasivat vastavuoroisia elämänhallinnan prosesseja perheessä. Perheiden kehityskulku muistisairauden kanssa käynnistyi ennen diagnoosin varmistumista, kun sairastunut itse tai hänen läheisensä kiinnittivät huomiota oireisiin. Muistisairausdiagnoosi oli käännekohta, joka muutti perheiden elämänkulun suuntaa ja johti etsimään uutta tasapainoa elämässä. Muuttuva elämäntilanne haastoi sairastuneet ja heidän omaisensa rakentamaan uudelleen käsitystä itsestään ja sosiaalisista rooleistaan. Sairastuneiden kokemuksena tämä tarkoitti sopeutumista muuttuvaan itseen ja omaisten kokemuksena mukautumista uuteen omaishoitajan rooliin. Nämä kehityshaasteet kytkeytyivät toisiinsa. Perheet pyrkivät selviytymään muuttuvassa elämäntilanteessaan huomioimalla käytettävissä olevat voimavarat, hyödyntämällä merkityksellistä sosiaalista tukea ja tavoittelemalla elämää tässä ja nyt. Muistisairaiden ja omaishoitajien vastavuoroiset elämänhallinnan prosessit sisälsivät sekä myönteisiä että kielteisiä tekijöitä. Muistisairauden hyväksyminen osaksi perheen elämää merkitsi toivoa vahvistavaa sopeutumista. Tutkimustulokset täydentävät hoitotieteen tietoperustaa perheiden kokemuksista ja elämänhallinnan keinoista muistisairausdiagnoosin varmistumisen jälkeen. Tutkimustuloksia voidaan hyödyntää sekä käytännön hoitotyössä tuettaessa muistisairaita ja heidän perheitään diagnoosin jälkeen että hoitotyön koulutuksessa.