The dementia family caregiver

This report provides insight into the unique emotional and subjective experiences of the dementia family caregiver. Caring clinically for the caregiver requires an acute sensitivity to the needs of the individual. Healthcare professionals need to recognize the complex contributing factors that influence this experience. The subsequent decision for a caregiver to eventually move a family member from a home care environment into a long term living facility often is associated with an intense and conflicting emotional guilt response. Understanding the dementia caregiving experience provides an opportunity for clinicians to offer appropriate levels of support and assist the former primary caregiver in adapting to new roles and responsibilities during the transition out of homecare, recognizing family members as partners in the ongoing care process, and fostering positive family staff interactions within the facility.