Research Team Aims to Help Bereaved Spousal Caregivers
With the aging of baby boomers, the number of people with dementia is on the rise. As individuals experience loss of memory and thinking caused by dementia, there is an increased need for support from their family.
To date, there is little research regarding the bereavement experience for those family members who care for people with dementia and few tools exist to support the caregivers once their family member passes away. Primary Investigator Dr. Shelley Peacock (University of Saskatchewan College of Nursing), alongside co-investigators Drs. Lorraine Holtslander (University of Saskatchewan College of Nursing), Genevieve Thompson (University of Manitoba Faculty of Nursing) and Megan O'Connell (University of Saskatchewan College of Arts & Science (Psychology)), aim to change this.
The overall purpose of their project is to adapt the current “Finding Balance” tool, which was originally developed for bereaved caregivers who cared for spouses with cancer, to support bereaved spousal caregivers of people with dementia. The team feels the self-administered writing tool has the potential to acknowledge the experience of bereaved dementia caregivers in the same way it has assisted bereaved cancer caregivers.
“I feel honoured to have received the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF) Establishment Grant and to be able to work with the team that has agreed to assist and support this important work,” said Dr. Peacock. “Saskatchewan has a rapidly growing older adult population and with an increase in age, there is a greater risk of developing dementia. It is a privilege to develop an intervention, based on Dr. Holtslander’s tool, to help bereaved dementia caregivers find meaning and cope with the death of their loved one. At the end of the day, we want to make sure the caregiver has a cost-effective and convenient tool to help them through their loss.”
Congratulations to Dr. Peacock and team on the receipt of your SHRF 2014 Establishment Grant.