Longing for normalcy in couple relationships: How chronic illness and care dependency change the relationship of long-married couples
IntroductionCoping with chronic illness and care dependency in a marital dyad challenges many older couples. In our qualitative research study, we are interested in how long-married spouses in Germany experience their couple relationship while dealing with long-term care and adapting everyday life t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1117786/full |
| _version_ | 1797868120996577280 |
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| author | Katharina Niedling Kerstin Hämel |
| author_facet | Katharina Niedling Kerstin Hämel |
| author_sort | Katharina Niedling |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionCoping with chronic illness and care dependency in a marital dyad challenges many older couples. In our qualitative research study, we are interested in how long-married spouses in Germany experience their couple relationship while dealing with long-term care and adapting everyday life to the care situation.MethodsWe conducted problem-centered interviews with 17 spouses according to the interpretive-reconstructive documentary method.ResultsWe derived four thematic areas: (1) partner(ship) disappears behind the disease; (2) partners struggle with changing tasks and roles; (3) caring partners mourn the loss of intimacy; and (4) partners strive to rebalance the partnership.DiscussionWhen chronic illness and care dependency enter couples' lives, the self-image as husband or wife is affected. Primary health care professionals should be sensitive to the specific constellation of care in couple relationships and recognize the significance of this dyadic relationship as living in a satisfying couple relationship is essential for the health and wellbeing of both partners. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T23:52:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1d0438b7518e456fbbe06eea7445e780 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T23:52:08Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-1d0438b7518e456fbbe06eea7445e7802023-03-17T05:46:01ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652023-03-011110.3389/fpubh.2023.11177861117786Longing for normalcy in couple relationships: How chronic illness and care dependency change the relationship of long-married couplesKatharina NiedlingKerstin HämelIntroductionCoping with chronic illness and care dependency in a marital dyad challenges many older couples. In our qualitative research study, we are interested in how long-married spouses in Germany experience their couple relationship while dealing with long-term care and adapting everyday life to the care situation.MethodsWe conducted problem-centered interviews with 17 spouses according to the interpretive-reconstructive documentary method.ResultsWe derived four thematic areas: (1) partner(ship) disappears behind the disease; (2) partners struggle with changing tasks and roles; (3) caring partners mourn the loss of intimacy; and (4) partners strive to rebalance the partnership.DiscussionWhen chronic illness and care dependency enter couples' lives, the self-image as husband or wife is affected. Primary health care professionals should be sensitive to the specific constellation of care in couple relationships and recognize the significance of this dyadic relationship as living in a satisfying couple relationship is essential for the health and wellbeing of both partners.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1117786/fullchronic diseasemarital dyadqualitative researchlong-term careGermanyspouses |
| spellingShingle | Katharina Niedling Kerstin Hämel Longing for normalcy in couple relationships: How chronic illness and care dependency change the relationship of long-married couples Frontiers in Public Health chronic disease marital dyad qualitative research long-term care Germany spouses |
| title | Longing for normalcy in couple relationships: How chronic illness and care dependency change the relationship of long-married couples |
| title_full | Longing for normalcy in couple relationships: How chronic illness and care dependency change the relationship of long-married couples |
| title_fullStr | Longing for normalcy in couple relationships: How chronic illness and care dependency change the relationship of long-married couples |
| title_full_unstemmed | Longing for normalcy in couple relationships: How chronic illness and care dependency change the relationship of long-married couples |
| title_short | Longing for normalcy in couple relationships: How chronic illness and care dependency change the relationship of long-married couples |
| title_sort | longing for normalcy in couple relationships how chronic illness and care dependency change the relationship of long married couples |
| topic | chronic disease marital dyad qualitative research long-term care Germany spouses |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1117786/full |
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