Dipex – Frau Hofer

Frau Hofer, zum Interviewzeitpunkt 70 Jahre alt, erzählt rückblickend über ihre Erfahrung als pflegende Angehörige. Das Interview fand fünf Jahre nach dem Tod ihres Ehemannes statt, der an einer demenziellen Mischform (Alzheimer, vaskuläre Demenz, frontotemporale Demenz) litt und mit 65 Jahren verstarb. Während sie ihren Ehemann pflegte, war sie Vollzeit erwerbstätig. Frau Hofer hat keine Kinder. Sie lebt in der deutschsprachigen Region der Schweiz. Das Paar lernte sich kurz vor der Demenzerkrankung kennen. Sie heirateten und ihr Ehemann zog aus Deutschland zu Frau Hofer in die Schweiz. Die ersten Symptome zeigten sich sieben Jahre vor der Diagnose, als ihr Ehemann 60 Jahre alt war. Die intensive Pflegezeit begann ein Jahr nach der Diagnose, als ihr Ehemann tagsüber nicht mehr allein sein konnte und Frau Hofer das Pflegearrangement mehrmals verändern musste, da ihr Ehemann die Tagesheime verliess und sich aggressiv verhielt. Bis zu seinem Tod wurde er teilweise zuhause, teilweise im Pflegeheim gepflegt. Dass Frau Hofers Arbeitgeber Verständnis für die Pflegesituation zeigte und sie ihre Arbeitszeiten und -orte verändern konnte, half ihr sehr.

Frau Hofer

Mrs. Hofer still feels drained today.

Mrs. Hofer took antidepressants for relaxation and peaceful sleep while caring for her husband, who had dementia.

Mrs. Hofer lost her husband as a conversation partner due to dementia.

Mrs. Hofer describes a moment when her husband was lucid in which he showed her his love. She, too, reminds herself of their relationship as a couple, which was always loving.

For Mrs. Hofer, maintaining her job allowed for continuity in her life and a counterpoint to caregiving.

The landlady of the hotel where Mrs. Hofer and her husband were vacationing became more understanding.

Mrs. Hofer had to repeatedly resolve problems caused by her husband’s difficult behavior in public.

In Mrs. Hofer’s case, there was a heated confrontation with the psychiatric nursing staff.

Mrs. Hofer would have wanted to be informed about her husband’s pneumonia by the nursing home even so she was taking time off from caring.

Not all the nurses handle difficult patients equally as well, which is why support from relatives is needed, concludes Mrs. Hofer.

Mrs. Hofer had to reorganize the care setting for her husband several times.

Mrs. Hofer describes the exhausting care that her husband required in the last months before his death.

The disability pension only began to apply to Mrs. Hofer’s husband after his dementia diagnosis. Before that, he had to accept financial disadvantages because he was receiving unemployment benefits.

When her husband lost his speech, Mrs. Hofer also lost confidence in being able to understand him.

Mrs. Hofer created an advance directive together with her husband.

Mrs. Hofer says that her husband’s living will was a guideline for her because it outlined his preferences.

According to Mrs. Hofer, it was too late for her husband to receive effective drug therapy.

Mrs. Hofer feels the death of her husband as a relief. Both had been released from suffering.

Mrs. Hofer encourages family members to get help because people reach a limit when it comes to caring for their loved one with dementia, and the quality of care suffers as a result.

Mrs. Hofer was able to count on the understanding of her employer.

Over time, Mrs. Hofer noticed that her husband was stressed at home alone. A new care arrangement presented itself.

Had she not had an understanding supervisor, she would have had to retire early, Mrs. Hofer says.

Health professionals should provide complete information about an intervention, finding, or procedure, and not take for granted that family members know, Mrs. Hofer says.

Her profession has replaced the lack of social recognition of care work at home, says Mrs. Hofer.

The sedation had noticeably weakened her husband, Mrs. Hofer says.

The authorities did not recognise her husband’s failures as a possible illness, Mrs. Hofer says.