Emotional Stress Experience of Care Professionals for Older Adults with Dementia: A Qualitative Interpretive Meta-synthesis

Abstract

Emotional stress is a common problem for many professionals in dementia care. Although a plethora of quantitative studies have examined the factors that affect care professionals’ emotional stress, little qualitative research has provided in-depth understanding of professional stress experiences. To magnify the voices of professionals who share their experiences of stress in caring for older adults with dementia, a qualitative interpretive meta-synthesis of five qualitative studies was conducted. Guided by Pearlin’s stress process model, four themes were identified: (1) emotional attachments to older adults with dementia; (2) difficulties in dementia care; (3) stressful working environment; and (4) conflicts with family members of older adults with dementia. Findings further highlighted that professionals’ genuine concern for the well-being of older adults with dementia reinforced the perception of stressors identified in each of the preceding themes. These results could inform the improvements of emotional support for care professionals in practice and policy arenas.