Experiences of loss and relationship quality in couples living with dementia

• Published in: Dementia (London, England) England), 2019-08, Vol.18 (6), p.2158-2172
• Main Authors: Colquhoun, Anna, Moses, Jennifer, Offord, Rosslyn
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Dementia - psychology; Female; Grounded Theory; Humans; Interpersonal Relations; Interviews as Topic; Male; Middle Aged; Spouses - psychology; Spouses - statistics & numerical data
• ISSN: 1471-3012; 1741-2684
• DOI: 10.1177/1471301217744597

Couples living with dementia face multiple losses in their relationship, and may experience changes in their overall sense of relationship quality. These topics have predominantly been researched from the caring partner’s perspective therefore, this study aimed to explore how couples adapt to relational losses to maintain quality in their relationship from the perspective of both partners. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach 10 spousal dyads, where one partner has a diagnosis of dementia, engaged in a joint interview. The results revealed three master themes: consolidating us, contextual positioning, and living well together, as well as an overarching theme of ‘turning to and away’. The findings are discussed in relation to theories of loss and family adaptation, and implications for clinical practice and future research are proposed.