Essential structure of the lived experience of caring for a wife with Parkinson's Disease

Abstract

Caring for a wife with Parkinson's disease is a multifaceted experience. Caregivers are faced with the daily challenges of impaired mobility , cognitive deficit , changes in activities of daily living, and alteration in personality. As both spouse and caregiver, husbands are forced to watch their wives deteriorate from this neurodegenerative disease , accept new roles and responsibilities , and move forward as they adapt to drastic , unexpected changes in their lives. Furthermore, there is a renewal of commitment to their marriage , maintaining devotion and caring for their wives even through years of debilitation and often suffering. In this phenomenological study , 3 men caring for their wives with Parkinson's disease were interviewed. The results of this study help to gain a better understanding of their lived experiences so that clinicians may pro vide care that addresses the unique concerns of these male spousal caregivers , establishing direction to the long-term goal of improved health and increased life satisfaction , through specialization of resources and sensitive outcome evaluation, for both patient and caregiver.