Affiliations: School of Social Work, Faculty of Social Sciences,
Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada | Department of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine,
Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada | Faculty of Nursing Sciences, Université Laval,
Québec City, Québec, Canada | Centre d'excellence sur le vieillissement de
Québec (CEVQ), Hôpital du St-Sacrement, Québec City Québec,
Canada
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Aline Vézina, School of Social
Work Université Laval 1030 avenue des Sciences Humaines Québec City,
Québec, Canada G1V 0A6. Tel.: +1 418 656 2131 ext. 2636; Fax: +1 418 656
3567; E-mail: aline.vezina@svs.ulaval.ca
Abstract: This study examines the identity cues that family caregivers and
healthcare personnel use with seniors living with dementia and living in
nursing homes. The identity cues represent biographical knowledge used to
stimulate the dementia sufferer, trigger signals and incite interaction. Our
grounded approach hinges on three objectives: to identify and categorize
identity cues; to document their uses; and to gain a better understanding of
their effectiveness. We interviewed nine family caregivers and 12 healthcare
workers. Qualitative data indicates that the participants use identity cues
that evoke seniors' sociological, relational and individual characteristics.
These identity cues play a central role in communication and constitute
important information that the family caregivers can share with healthcare
personnel. They sustain memory, facilitate care and reinforce seniors'
self-value. These results help to define identity, foster a greater role for
family caregivers, and constitute a sound basis for the implementation of
personalized interventions.
Keywords: Dementia, family caregiver, healthcare personnel, identity cues, nursing home
