A Qualitative Research on Aggressive Behaviors of Dementia Patients aganist Their Caregivers

Abstract

Violence against health workers is one of today's important issues. Long-term care organizations are among the healthcare organizations that these employees take part. Individuals with dementia often remain and are taken care of in dementia units which are designed for long-term care organizations. However, the psychiatric and behavioral changes experienced by the nature of their diseases may lead these patients to exhibit aggressive behaviors towards the employees who take care of them. The most affected by this situation are the caregivers. So, this study was conducted about the aggressive behavior of patients with 18 caregivers working in a care facility in Istanbul. The data obtained show that caregivers are often exposed to these behaviors and have a variety of coping strategies. In order to solve this problem, new qualitative and quantitative researches are needed.

Keywords

• Dementia,Aggressiveness,Nursing Home Workers,Violence,Caregiver

Demans Hastalarının Bakımverenlerine Karşı Saldırgan Davranışları Üzerine Nitel Bir Araştırma

Öz

Sağlık çalışanlarına karşı şiddet günümüzün önemli konularından biridir. Uzun dönem yaşlı bakım kuruluşları da bu çalışanların yer aldığı sağlık hizmeti sunan çalışma yerlerindendir. Artan yaşlı nüfusunda yerini alan ve bakım kuruluşları aracılığıyla bakımı üstlenen demans hastalığına sahip bireyler genellikle bu kuruluşların kendileri için tasarlanmış demans ünitelerinde kalmaktadır. Ancak, hastalıklarının doğası gereği yaşadığı psikiyatrik ve davranışsal değişimler bu hastaları kendilerine bakan çalışanlara karşı saldırgan davranışlar içine sokabilmektedir. Bu durumdan en çok etkilenen ise bakımverenlerdir. Bu amaçla,  bu çalışma İstanbul’daki bir bakım kuruluşunda çalışan 18 bakımveren ile hastaların saldırgan davranışları hakkında görüşme yapılmıştır. Elde edilen veriler bakımverenlerin sıklıkla bu davranışlara maruz kaldıklarını ve uyguladıkları çeşitli başa çıkma stratejilerinin var olduğunu göstermiştir. Bu sorunun çözülebilmesi için hem nitel hem de nicel yeni araştırmalara ihtiyaç vardır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Demans,Saldırganlık,Huzurevi Çalışanları,Şiddet,Hasta Bakıcı

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