Problems experienced in the caregiving process of individuals with Alzheimer's patients in their family in the context of the sociology of aging: The case of Van city center

In recent years, improvements in health conditions and a decline in birth rates have led to an increase in life expectancy, resulting in a growing elderly population both in Turkey and worldwide. This demographic change is no longer merely an individual or familial issue but has become a phenomenon that must also be addressed from a societal perspective. Therefore, it requires consideration in its social, economic, and cultural dimensions. The increase in the elderly population creates both new opportunities and challenges at the individual and societal levels. With the aging process, the need for care inevitably arises. This need affects not only the individual and the family but also introduces a new process on a societal scale. The growing demand for care increases the caregiving burden among family members, imposes significant physical, psychological, and economic effects on caregivers, and raises the demand for professional care services. This situation highlights the necessity of developing social care models, supporting both care recipients and caregivers, and providing solutions aimed at improving the quality of life in older adults. This study aims to reveal the difficulties experienced by relatives of Alzheimer's patients in the context of the sociology of aging, focusing specifically on the province of Van. Alzheimer's disease is commonly known in society as dementia. It is a condition that society has not fully developed awareness of and one that is culturally difficult to accept. The research problem is to explore what Alzheimer's caregivers experience in the caregiving process, how tasks are distributed within the family, how their social lives are shaped, the process of accepting the disease, and the challenges they face while providing care. Since the disease progresses slowly, the caregiving process covers a long period of time. Within the scope of this study, the aim is to identify the caregiving support provided by informal caregivers of Alzheimer's patients, to determine the problems they encounter throughout the disease process, and to propose solutions. For this purpose, in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 relatives of Alzheimer's patients living in Van, using semi-structured interview forms. The data obtained from these interviews were analyzed using qualitative research methods.