No / This paper investigates the subjective experiences of older women living alone with Alzheimer’s disease, vascular or mixed dementia. Eight women were interviewed to explore how they managed their identities and coped with day-to-day living, in the absence of a significant co-resident other who might reflect them back to themselves. Through interpretative phenomenological analysis themes emerged about loss, embodiment, adapting, awareness, safety, relationships, exclusion and loneliness. Memory loss had the most significant impact through loss of independence. However, the women were actively engaged in re-constructing their sense of self, using a variety of coping strategies. Relationships with friends, neighbours and attendance at memory clubs were important. A search for meaningful relationships was apparent, conflicting with feeling vulnerable and a consequent desire for self protection.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BRADFORD/oai:bradscholars.brad.ac.uk:10454/6838 |
| Date | 31 October 2011 |
| Creators | Frazer, S.M., Oyebode, Jan, Cleary, A. |
| Source Sets | Bradford Scholars |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Article, No full-text in the repository |
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