Abstract
Indications of dementia disease include deterioration of memory, thinking, behaviour, and the ability to perform everyday activities. Any of these symptoms can lead to stress and difficulties organizing everyday life. As a way to view factors that support human health and well-being despite stressful situations, Antonovsky introduced a salutogenic model. This model proposes that sense of coherence primarily determines physical and mental health i.e. psychological well-being. Having a sense of coherence in everyday life can reduce the impact of stress on the individual in everyday life. The study’s aim of this study was to explore how participants in existing support groups scored on the Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC), and what they perceived as contributory factors to a meaningful, manageable, and comprehensible everyday life in the presence of dementia using a mixed method. Persons with dementia had the highest scores on the SOC scale and their partners the lowest. Persons with dementia expressed that being with others who understood them made their everyday life comprehensible and manageable. Their partners expressed that learning about dementia was helpful in managing and comprehending everyday situations. The adult children expressed that it was meaningful to care for their parents and they scored slightly higher than the partners on the SOC scale. Long-term ongoing support supplemented with information and social support can contribute to the sense of coherence in persons with dementia and their next of kin.
Highlights
Dementia disease leads to deterioration of memory, thinking, behaviour, and the ability to perform everyday activities
The study is part of a larger project in which we interviewed couples about their experiences in long term ongoing existing support groups [22] as well as well as adult children of persons with dementia to find out what it means for them to have a parent with dementia [23]
The mean total score for SOC in group 1 consisting of persons with dementia (PwD) was 158 out of 203 with partners in group 2 at and adult children in group 3 at of 203
Summary
Dementia disease leads to deterioration of memory, thinking, behaviour, and the ability to perform everyday activities. Stress has been shown as a risk factor for developing dementia [4] [5], and can increase the risk for confusion or delirium in persons with dementia [6] [7]. Antonovsky’s salutogenic model proposes that Sense of Coherence [16]-[18], primarily determines physical and mental health i.e. psychological well-being. Resources are available to meet the demands posed by these stimuli (manageability) Meaningfulness means that these demands are challenges worthy of investment and engagement How do members in existing support groups in a municipality in Sweden rate their Sense of Coherence and what do they perceive as contributory factors for a meaningful, comprehensible, and manageable everyday life?
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
