Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2012 Jan;23(1):46-55.
doi: 10.1177/1043659611414199. Epub 2011 Aug 1.

The experience of quality of life for caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease living in Sardinia, Italy

Ercole Vellone  1 , Giovanni Piras, Giulia Venturini, Rosaria Alvaro, Marlene Z Cohen
Affiliations

The experience of quality of life for caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease living in Sardinia, Italy

Ercole Vellone et al. J Transcult Nurs. 2012 Jan.

Abstract

Purpose: This study explored the meaning of quality of life (QOL) for Sardinian caregivers of people affected with Alzheimer's disease and factors improving and worsening their QOL.

Design: The phenomenological method was used to study 41 Alzheimer's disease caregivers living on the western coast of Sardinia, Italy. Interviews were conducted and analyzed using Cohen, Kahn, and Steeves's approach.

Findings: Extracted themes were the following: unity and cooperation in the family; freedom/independence; having time for themselves; serenity/tranquility; and well-being and health. Caregivers identified factors that they believed worsened or improved their QOL. Family was particularly important for these caregivers.

Discussion: This study reinforces previous research about cultural influence on QOL and emphasizes the importance of nurses being culturally sensitive. Since Sardinia is a rural region, these findings may be useful for nurses working with caregivers in other rural settings.

PubMed Disclaimer

LinkOut - more resources