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Original Article

The Elderly Spouses' Experiences of Providing Care for their Bedridden Patient at Home

Yeon Sil Cho, Ph.D., RN1, Sue Kyung Sohn, Ph.D., RN2
Korean Journal of Adult Nursing 2017;29(1):63-75.
Published online: February 28, 2017

1Nurse, Kosin University Hospital, Busan

2Professor, Department of Nursing, Kosin University, Busan, Korea

Corresponding author: Sohn, Sue Kyung Department of Nursing, Kosin University, 262 Gamcheon-ro, Seo-gu, Busan 49267, Korea. Tel: +82-51-990-6454, Fax: +82-51-990-3031, E-mail: sue@kosin.ac.kr
• Received: December 22, 2016   • Accepted: February 23, 2017

Copyright © 2017 Korean Society of Adult Nursing

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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  • 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.
  • Key Words: Elderly; Spouses; Caring; Grounded theory
Figure 1.
Theoretical framework for going together bearing a heavy burden of care in old age.
kjan-29-63f1.jpg
Table 1.
Relationships among Categories using Paradigm Model
Subcategories Categories Paradigm element
․ Unable to send to convalescent hospital Wanting to take care of their bedridden spouse in the home Causal condition
․ Dislike to be a burden Wishing to relieve their adult children's burden
․ A life as model of good parents
․ Managed to take care of one's spouse alone Heavy burden of care in old age Central phenomenon
․ Lived as a helper in old ages
․ Exhausted
․ Prison without a grating
․ Compassionated Duties and responsibilities as a married couple Contextual condition
․ An obligated course
․ Repaying for the effort
․ One's pride is hurt Being sensitive to how they look to others
․ Encouraged by others' compliment
․ Supports from children Help of supportive systems Intervening condition
․ Institutional support
․ Experiencing financial difficulties Economic difficulties
․ Poor housing
․ Unskilled care Undergoing trial and error of care Action/ interactional strategies
․ Conflict between husband and wife
․ Living with resignation Accepting their present situation as a fate
․ Task of life
․ Self-management Learning how to cope with difficulties of life
․ Having self-confidence of nursing
․ Embracing with a heart Becoming a true companion of life
․ Leaning on each other
․ Living as a friend each other
․ Futile life Feeling the vanity of life Consequences
․ Anxious about the future Uncertainty of the future
․ Positive attitude Positive attitude to life
․ Living with self-satisfaction
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    Citations

    Citations to this article as recorded by  
    • 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

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    The Elderly Spouses' Experiences of Providing Care for their Bedridden Patient at Home
    Korean J Adult Nurs. 2017;29(1):63-75.   Published online February 28, 2017
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.7475/kjan.2017.29.1.63
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    • Citation for the content below
    The Elderly Spouses' Experiences of Providing Care for their Bedridden Patient at Home
    Korean J Adult Nurs. 2017;29(1):63-75.   Published online February 28, 2017
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.7475/kjan.2017.29.1.63
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    The Elderly Spouses' Experiences of Providing Care for their Bedridden Patient at Home
    Image
    Figure 1. Theoretical framework for going together bearing a heavy burden of care in old age.

    Figure 1.

    The Elderly Spouses' Experiences of Providing Care for their Bedridden Patient at Home

    Relationships among Categories using Paradigm Model

    Subcategories Categories Paradigm element
    ․ Unable to send to convalescent hospital Wanting to take care of their bedridden spouse in the home Causal condition
    ․ Dislike to be a burden Wishing to relieve their adult children's burden
    ․ A life as model of good parents
    ․ Managed to take care of one's spouse alone Heavy burden of care in old age Central phenomenon
    ․ Lived as a helper in old ages
    ․ Exhausted
    ․ Prison without a grating
    ․ Compassionated Duties and responsibilities as a married couple Contextual condition
    ․ An obligated course
    ․ Repaying for the effort
    ․ One's pride is hurt Being sensitive to how they look to others
    ․ Encouraged by others' compliment
    ․ Supports from children Help of supportive systems Intervening condition
    ․ Institutional support
    ․ Experiencing financial difficulties Economic difficulties
    ․ Poor housing
    ․ Unskilled care Undergoing trial and error of care Action/ interactional strategies
    ․ Conflict between husband and wife
    ․ Living with resignation Accepting their present situation as a fate
    ․ Task of life
    ․ Self-management Learning how to cope with difficulties of life
    ․ Having self-confidence of nursing
    ․ Embracing with a heart Becoming a true companion of life
    ․ Leaning on each other
    ․ Living as a friend each other
    ․ Futile life Feeling the vanity of life Consequences
    ․ Anxious about the future Uncertainty of the future
    ․ Positive attitude Positive attitude to life
    ․ Living with self-satisfaction
    Table 1. Relationships among Categories using Paradigm Model

    Table 1.

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