Korean-American Family Postcaregivers on Dementia Caregiving: A Phenomenological Inquiry

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to understand dementia caregiving and postcaregiving experience from the Korean-American family caregiver perspective. In this transcendental phenomenological study, I analyzed both in-depth interviews from 8 caregivers and field notes with the procedure of Moustakas' (1994) modification of the Van Kaam method. Five core themes characterized participants' experiences: understanding elderly patients with Alzheimer's by accepting it as a disease; self-defining and self-appraising of caregivers; caregiving as a family affair while examining transgenerational continuity of filial piety; returning caregiving to caregivers in turn as a mode of mourning; and reviewing dissatisfying experiences with the formal care system. Based on a small but relatively heterogeneous sample, this study advances the understanding of the underlying, dynamic context of Korean-American family dementia caregiving and addresses certain implications of geriatric social work intervention for postcaregivers.