Participation of relatives in a dementia ward

This paper examines how family carers of people with dementia subjectively experience the transition to a care home and to what extent they are allowed to participate in the care process. The main focus is on identifying the obstacles and emotions that family carers individually experience until they come to accept everyday life in a care home. This paper provides insights into the subjective experiences of family carers after a transfer to a care home and sets out recommendations for successful cooperative family care. The results of the study show that a transfer to a care home usually takes place in an acute situation and that family carers are therefore emotionally ill-prepared for such a transfer. Furthermore there is no direct participation in nursing activities as was the case during the home care phase. Consequently on the one hand nursing staff need to be made aware of the typology of relatives described in the literature and to accept the emotions of relatives. As a result a practical concept for relatives should be developed to promote reciprocal cooperation.