[How family carers of people with dementia experienced their stay on an acute care facility and their own collaboration with professionals: a qualitative study]

About one third of geriatric patients admitted to an acute care setting suffer from dementia as second diagnosis. For those patients, a hospital stay can negatively influence health outcomes and cause additional burden for families, because structure and organisation of acute care settings are often not adapted to dementia care. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of family members of people with dementia who were admitted to an acute geriatric care facility. Data were collected through interviews with 12 family members and a qualitative content analysis was carried out. Findings showed that, regardless of patients' signs of dementia, family members worried: Will she manage? Will her needs be met? Family members felt a special responsibility. They appreciated the rehabilitative and nursing care; most could subsequently relinquish responsibility and felt temporary relief. Collaboration with professionals was experienced in different ways: Family members were relieved and appreciative when involved, but disillusioned or disappointed when they thought that they were not understood and neglected. For some family members, quality of care and collaboration was related to the practice of individual professionals. It is recommended to reinforce interventions that are experienced positively by family members and to develop a team culture of active relationship building and collaboration with the families of patients with dementia.