The perceptions and experiences of adult children caregivers of parents with alzheimer's disease who did or did not receive home care service: Handover of care

This study examined the perceptions and experiences of adult children caregivers of parents with Alzheimer's disease who received home care service versus those who did not receive such services. The study was conducted using the qualitative research method. It aims to find out how caregivers perceived their caregiver roles and raise awareness by determining their experiences and problems. The sample of the study was selected using criterion sampling, a purposive sampling method. Therefore, the study included 20 patient relatives who gave care to their parents with middle stage Alzheimer's disease who were receiving or not receiving corporate home care service. The sample included 20 participants, 10 of whom gave care to their parents with Alzheimer's disease and received home care services from the Antalya Metropolitan Municipality and 10 who did not receive corporate home care service. The participants interviewed were registered at the Altınkum Family Health Center and had parents who had been diagnosed with middle stage Alzheimer's disease. The interviews were audiotaped. The data were divided into groups, and sample responses were selected for presentation in the study. The interviews were examined using content analysis, and the frequency values of the data were specified. This study's results indicate that relatives of patients with Alzheimer's disease had limited information resources about the disease, had varying roles and situations in their daily lives and encountered several restrictions accompanied by different problems and issues. They tried to cope with these issues using their own methods, but failed to receive professional help and support and were even deprived of them. Therefore, the following steps should be urgently taken: the awareness of Alzheimer's disease should be raised, the quality and range of the services provided should be improved, the support provided to caregivers in necessary and emergent cases should be enhanced, this should be made government policy, the number of actions and precautions should be increased, and the life quality of patients and their relatives should be improved. The study examines the relationship between professional care and family care. Thus, its results obtained are considered to be important for raising awareness of the improvement of professional home care services and contributing to the care of patients with Alzheimer's disease.