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Thesis/Dissertation Information
- Degree Disciplines:
- Nursing
Notes
- Abstract:
- Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, pathological condition that fills the brain with amyloidal plaques and tangled fibers that render normal cognitive function impossible. Individuals with Alzheimer's disease experience personality changes, loss of memory, and decreased verbal abilities. These devastating behavioral changes often result in the need for institutionalization of the person with Alzheimer's disease. The aim of this ethnomethodological study was to investigate how 44 residents of an inpatient Alzheimer's disease unit organized their everyday world, and how this organizational culture provided meaning for their lives. The methodology for this study was based on the previous works of Gubrium (1986a, 1989, 2000). Intensive fieldwork was conducted for six weeks on a special care unit in a south Florida nursing home. Forty-four residents, ranging in age from 72 to 10 I, participated in this study. Analysis of the data revealed eight themes by which the participants organized their everyday lives. They were: maintaining rituals, maintaining communication, maintaining family, maintaining role appointment, maintaining corporality, maintaining spatiality, maintaining relationality, and maintaining temporality. Findings from this study will provide insight into the behaviors of people with Alzheimer's disease for everyone who is affected or has been affected by the phenomenon. Knowledge gained from this study can be used as supporting evidence for changing the staffing mix in nursing homes by increasing the direct care provided by professional registered nurses. Of utmost importance, the findings of this study gave a voice to all those who could no longer describe the meaning of this human experience.
- Thesis:
- Thesis (Ph.D.)--Barry University, 2003.
- Bibliography:
- Includes bibliographical references (leaves 93-101).
Record Information
- Source Institution:
- Barry University
- Holding Location:
- Barry University Archives and Special Collections
- Rights Management:
- Copyright Marcia Jean Hacker. Permission granted to Barry University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
- Resource Identifier:
- RC523.H33 2003_HackerMarcia ( BU-Local )
- Classification:
- RC523.H33 2003 ( lcc )
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