Relationship Difficulties in Dementia Care: A discursive analysis of two women's accounts

Abstract

This article reports on a small-scale study where people giving and receiving care were invited to talk about their relationship. It draws on one care dyad of a woman (who has a diagnosis of dementia) and her daughter (who has provided care for her mother). A short series of interviews was conducted with both women, focusing on their biographies and current relationship. This article reports the account given by the mother and how this intersects with the account given by the daughter. The discursive analysis presented centralizes a concern with attending to the accounts of people with dementia. Analysis of the talk of people with dementia can make a valuable contribution to understanding care relationships. Such analysis has the potential for shedding light on difficulties in care relationships. The article ends by outlining some salient issues for professionals and family members involved in dementia care.