Journal of Gerontological Nursing
Vol. 33 No. 9 September 2007
By Joyce Rasin, PhD, RN; Donald D. Kautz, PhD, RN
ABSTRACT
This qualitative study describes the kinds of knowledge used by caregivers when caring for older adults with dementia residing in assisted living facilities. Five focus groups were conducted with a total of 23 caregivers from both small and large facilities. Two categories of knowledge were described: behavior-centered knowledge and person-centered knowledge. Behavior-centered knowledge focuses on strategies needed to manage behaviors, whereas person-centered knowledge focuses on the needs of the person exhibiting the behavior. Recommendations about the role of gerontological nurses and the training of caregivers in assisted living facilities are provided.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Dr. Rasin is Associate Professor and Coordinator, Community-Based Nursing, School of Nursing, Widener University, Chester, Pennsylvania. Dr. Kautz is Assistant Professor, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina.
The study was conducted while Dr. Rasin was faculty at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Dr. Kautz was faculty at Winston-Salem State University. This project was supported by the Center for Innovation in Health Disparities Research (CIHDR) at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill School of Nursing (NIH Research Grant 5P20NR8369 funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research and the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities). The authors wish to acknowledge Margaret Sandelowski, PhD, and Chris McQuiston, PhD, RN, in guiding the research, Elizabeth Tornquist for editorial assistance, and Dawn Wyrick for her assistance with this article.
Address correspondence to Donald D. Kautz, PhD, RN, Assistant Professor, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 308 Moore Building, PO Box 26170, Greensboro, NC 27402-6170; e-mail: ddkautz@uncg.edu.
