Date of Award

August 2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Nursing

First Advisor

Tracy Evanson

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe the phenomenon of caregiving among men caring for a family member with Alzheimer’s disease. Historically, most Alzheimer’s disease caregivers were women, and research has generally focused on female caregivers, usually the spouse. However, more men are now assuming the caregiver role. A limited number of studies have focused on male caregivers and revealed multiple inconsistencies in findings. Further, limited studies have specifically included rural male caregivers, who may experience caregiving differently due to the lack of resources and increased disparities that exist in rural populations. The knowledge gained from this research study will help nurses and other healthcare providers understand the experience and stressors placed on male caregivers. In turn, this may help providers open conversations related to any potential needs of the male caregiver. Descriptive phenomenology provided the philosophical foundation for this qualitative study and Giorgi’s descriptive phenomenology method guided the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 male caregivers (six rural; six nonrural). Interviews were transcribed verbatim into written text and analyzed using the methodology protocol of Giorgi. Analysis of participants’ descriptions was conducted and revealed five main themes from the participant’s descriptions including “sense of duty,” “challenges,” “relationship disruptions,” “coping,” and “resource utilization.” The first three themes contributed to burden where the last two were attempts at reprieve. These reprieve attempts eventually caused isolation and feelings of guilt, which constantly caused more burden for these caregivers. The overall essence revealed through these themes was the caregiving journey for men is compared to that of walking alone on a journey of unequal balance of burden and reprieve. Study findings show that male caregivers do experience stress and burden and describe the overall caregiving experience as challenging. Rural participants utilized resources more than the nonrural participants. Spousal caregivers universally attended support groups, and although found some reprieve, eventually developed feelings of inadequacy and isolation. All participants experienced disruptions to relationships. These findings provide valuable information about male caregivers for health care providers, and to lay the groundwork for future research to develop/test interventions to support male caregivers, help establish resources, and construct policies that address the overall health and well-being of this increasing population.

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