PURPOSE
This study was to explore and describe the reported experiences of elderly spouses who care their bedridden spouse in the home.
METHODS
The participants of this study were 14 male and female elderly spouses who live in B metropolitan city and have provided care for more than six months. Data were collected from July 3 to November 6, 2014. Data analysis was done simultaneously with data collection, using the analytical methods of Strauss and Corbin for Grounded theory.
RESULTS
The core category was identified as ‘ going together bearing a heavy burden of care in old age.’ In this study, the caring process of elderly spouses can be explained in terms of three stages such as ‘ a period of trial and error,’‘ a period of mastering a role,’ and ‘ a period of role transcendence’.
CONCLUSION
The results of this study can provide an intervention framework to reduce the heavy burden of caring for an elderly spouse.

Citations

• Mechanism for meeting the care of older adults in rural China—relying on spouse, offspring or community?
  Ziyue Dong, Jianliang Nie, Dan Li, Yufeng Wu
  BMC Geriatrics.2025;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Understanding the Roles of over 65-Year-Old Male and Female Carers: A Comparative Analysis of Informal Caregiving
  Purificación Ballester, Clara Pérez-Esteve, Alicia Sánchez-García, Eva Gil-Hernández, Mercedes Guilabert, José Joaquín Mira
  Geriatrics.2025; 10(3): 75.     CrossRef
• Validity and Reliability of the Korean Version of the Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire–Carer
  JuHee Lee, Young H. Sohn, Seok Jong Chung, Sung Hae Kim, Yujin Suh, Jungah Park, Yielin Kim
  Journal of Clinical Neurology.2023; 19(6): 547.     CrossRef