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"We are a Team": Couple Identity and Memory Loss.
Elise Hernandez1, Beth Spencer2, Berit Ingersoll-Dayton2
1School of Social Work, University of Michigan, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, USA.
Dementia (London, England)
|May 23, 2017
Summary
Older couples facing memory loss find resilience in their shared couple identity. This study explored themes like shared activities, closeness, and relationship essence, highlighting its importance in coping with aging.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Psychology
- Sociology
Background:
- Couplehood offers resilience during memory loss.
- Couple identity is crucial but understudied.
- Measuring couple identity needs further exploration.
Purpose of the Study:
- Examine older spouses' descriptions of couple identity.
- Identify salient themes in couple identity.
- Explore how couple identity aids coping with memory loss.
Main Methods:
- Utilized baseline data from the Couples Life Story Project (19 couples).
- Employed a life review intervention with one partner experiencing memory loss.
- Analyzed couple identity depictions using separate and overlapping circles and interpretative phenomenological analysis.
Main Results:
- Nearly half of couples independently created identical relationship depictions.
- Identified three major themes of couple identity: (1) joint and separate activities, (2) enduring feelings, shared history, and closeness, and (3) the core essence of the relationship.
- Demonstrated mutual coping strategies within couples facing aging challenges.
Conclusions:
- Couple identity is a significant factor in resilience for older adults with memory loss.
- The study provides a framework for understanding and measuring couple identity.
- Highlights the importance of shared experiences and relationship essence in navigating memory loss and aging.
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