Background. Dementia not only has a negative effect on a person’s well-being, but
it also affects the well-being of their relatives. In this study, we examined how
relatives perceive the well-being of people with dementia who live in nursing homes
and how nursing staff contribute to the well-being of the residents they care for.
Method. A qualitative study with a phenomenographic approach was applied. Ten individual
semistructured interviews were conducted, five in Sweden and five in Hungary. In this
study, the COREQ checklist for qualitative studies was followed. Results. The perceptions
relatives had of what constituted well-being resulted in five categories of factors
that could impact negatively or positively on a person’s well-being: “Nursing care
is adapted to the needs of the person with dementia,” “Nursing is carried out by a
sustainable care team,” “The social needs of the person with dementia are met,” “The
person with dementia participates in meaningful activities,” and “The person with
dementia shows signs of feeling well.” Conclusion. From relatives'’ perspective, well-being
can be created for people with dementia if nursing is person-centred and managers
allow staff more time to socialize with the person with dementia. Relatives are essential
cooperative partners in person-centred dementia care. Relevance to clinical practice.
Person-centred care is essential. Relatives, nurses, and managers are important partners
in making it possible. Competence in dementia and knowledge of values and ethics are
needed to provide autonomy and well-being. Patient or Public contribution. Ten relatives
were selected through purposive sampling. In Hungary, the relatives were invited to
take part in the study and given information about it by an operational manger. In
Sweden, this process was carried out by a dementia nurse. Transcribed content of semistructured
interviews was analyzed using a phenomenographic method.
