Gain related to the care of people with dementia: concept analysis

The concept of gain of caring has been used as a synonym for positive aspects of care, making it difficult to use in research and practice.

To clarify the concept of care gain in dementia contexts.

The analysis of the concept of gaining care was conducted according to Walker and Avant's Methodology in 2019, with the seven steps adjusted for this study. Data were collected by a literature search during August 2024, in the databases SCOPUS, WEB OF SCIENCE, CINAHL, ProQuest, LILACS, and a manual search of article references with no time limit. Eighteen original and review studies were included in the analysis.

The conceptual clarification defines caregiving gain as a positive, enriching consequence that emerges from the interaction among contextual components (individual, relational, community, and social), as well as the quality and quantity of direct care activities and the duration of the caregiving role. This gain transcends both the active caregiving period and the stage after its completion.

The gain of caring includes contextual elements, time, and care burden variables, whose interactions enrich the caregiver experience and enhance the quality of care. This clarification, while recognizing its phenomenological nature, will facilitate its appropriate use in research and practice of dementia caregiving.

In family caregiving in dementia, the gain of care is an enriching consequence for the caregiver and improves the quality of care. It is suggested that its subjective nature be considered in future studies and nursing practice.