Existential Absence

The Lived Experience of Family Members During Their Older Loved One’s Delirium

Bibliographic Data

ID4687741
AuthorsJenny Day (0000-0001-8681-9831, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia), Jenny Huangfu Day (0000-0001-6632-8904, University of Newcastle Australia, corresponding author), Isabel Higgins (0000-0003-2609-6242, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia)
Year2015
Volume25
Issue12
Pages1700-1718
Publication date2015-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueQualitative Health Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1049-7323 • E-ISSN: 1552-7557
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/1049732314568321
PMID25605755
OpenAlexW2102839061
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited55

When older people develop delirium, their demeanor changes; they often behave in ways that are out of character and seem to inhabit another world. Despite this, little is known about the experiences of family members who are with their older loved one at this time. This article reports a phenomenological study that involved in-depth interviews with 14 women whose older loved one had delirium. Analysis and interpretation of the data depict the women's experiences as "Changing family portraits: Sudden existential absence during delirium," capturing the way family members lose the taken-for-granted presence of their familiar older loved one and confront a stranger during delirium

Epistemology · Existentialism · Psychoanalysis · Family and Patient Care in Intensive Care Units · Healthcare Decision-Making and Restraints · Intensive Care Unit Cognitive Disorders · Philosophy · Psychology

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