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Health:, Vol. 8, No. 2, 159-181 (2004)
DOI: 10.1177/1363459304038798
© 2004 SAGE Publications

Always One Step Behind: Husbands’ Narratives about Taking Care of their Demented Wives

Tapio Kirsi

University of Tampere, Finlandtapio.kirsi{at}uta.fi

Antti Hervonen

University of Tampere, Finland

Marja Jylhä

University of Tampere, Finland

Based on an analysis of extracts from 11 free-form written texts and 13 focused interviews with Finnish husbands who had given care to their demented wives, this study was aimed at finding out how husbands signify their action as spousal caregivers. The data were approached qualitatively from a social constructionistic point of view. Husbands’ written material described their action of caregiving mainly in a passive voice that echoed duty and responsive agency. Analysis of the interview talk revealed a wider spectrum of voices and more agentive talk about caregiving. The results of the study challenge interpretations of men as either ineffective or capable caregivers and highlight, instead, the contextual nature of the way that men construct their agencies, depending upon the purposes and audiences of their narration.

Key Words: agency • caregiving • competence • dementia • masculinity and femininity • meaning-making


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