{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,30]],"date-time":"2026-04-30T11:38:04Z","timestamp":1777549084173,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":43,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2013,7,11]],"date-time":"2013-07-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1373500800000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Dementia"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2015,3]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>The number of persons with dementia who lives at home for a longer period of time after diagnosis is increasing. Even if the literature in the dementia field is growing, there is a need for more knowledge about everyday life of persons with a dementia disease; particularly the lived perspective of persons who live alone. The aim of this study was to elucidate the phenomenon of living alone with dementia and having a manifest care need. This phenomenological study was carried out from a reflective lifeworld approach. The data material in the study consisted of field notes from 32 visits and transcriptions from 11 tape-recorded conversations with six participants. The results reveal that the person with dementia who lives alone ends up in a vague existence where they cannot survive alone. The person\u2019s level of activity comes to a halt and body movement becomes slower. Daily life becomes more difficult to manage and the person\u2019s earlier natural way of relating to the world and the people around them is gradually lost. This is followed by a loneliness and forgetfulness that cloud the meaning of life. This study highlights the importance of the patient\u2019s perspective needed to better understand the inner life of a person who suffers from dementia. This understanding is important in the organization of help and care as well as for caregivers to better understand these individuals and their needs.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/1471301213494510","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2013,7,11]],"date-time":"2013-07-11T21:58:40Z","timestamp":1373579920000},"page":"145-163","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":41,"title":["Gradually losing one\u2019s foothold \u2013 A fragmented existence when living alone with dementia"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Rune","family":"Svanstr\u00f6m","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Life Sciences, University of Sk\u00f6vde, Skaraborg-institute, Sk\u00f6vde, Sweden"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Annelie Johansson","family":"Sundler","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Life Sciences, University of Sk\u00f6vde, Sweden"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2013,7,11]]},"reference":[{"key":"bibr1-1471301213494510","unstructured":"Andersson, K. (2007).\n                      Social care under negotiation \u2013 about time, needs and gender in a changing home care business [Omsorg under f\u00f6rhandling \u2013 om tid, behov och k\u00f6n i en f\u00f6r\u00e4nderlig hemtj\u00e4nstverksamhet]\n                      , Doctoral Thesis. Ume\u00e5, Sweden, Ume\u00e5 Universitet."},{"key":"bibr2-1471301213494510","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2524.2004.00505.x"},{"key":"bibr3-1471301213494510","unstructured":"Blomberg, S. (2004).\n                      Specialized assessments on the individual's care needs in municipal elderly care: the implementation of an organizational reform and its practice [Specialiserad bist\u00e5ndshandl\u00e4ggning inom den kommunala \u00e4ldreomsorgen: genomf\u00f6randet av en organisationsreform och dess praktik]\n                      , Doctoral Thesis. Lund, Sweden Lunds Universitet."},{"key":"bibr4-1471301213494510","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1748-3743.2006.00016.x"},{"issue":"1","key":"bibr5-1471301213494510","first-page":"23","volume":"9","author":"Cox B. C.","year":"2003","journal-title":"Journal of Mental Health and Aging"},{"key":"bibr6-1471301213494510","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/08873267.2003.9986933"},{"key":"bibr7-1471301213494510","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/17482620500478405"},{"key":"bibr8-1471301213494510","volume-title":"Reflective lifeworld research","author":"Dahlberg K.","year":"2008","edition":"2"},{"key":"bibr9-1471301213494510","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s11019-008-9174-7"},{"key":"bibr10-1471301213494510","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1471301207075625"},{"key":"bibr11-1471301213494510","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1159\/000017202"},{"key":"bibr12-1471301213494510","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/14713012030023008"},{"key":"bibr13-1471301213494510","unstructured":"Giorgi, A. (2009).\n                      The descriptive phenomenological method in psychology, a modified Husserlian approach\n                      . Pittsburgh, PA: Duquesne University Press."},{"key":"bibr14-1471301213494510","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1471301207081571"},{"key":"bibr15-1471301213494510","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1049732309331882"},{"key":"bibr16-1471301213494510","volume-title":"The space between us, exploring the dimensions of human relationships","author":"Josselson R.","year":"1996"},{"key":"bibr17-1471301213494510","volume-title":"Totality and infinity, an essay on exteriority","author":"L\u00e9vinas E.","year":"2005"},{"key":"bibr18-1471301213494510","unstructured":"Lindel\u00f6f, M. & R\u00f6nnb\u00e4ck, E. (2004).\n                      Distributing assistance to the elderly: The case handling process within elder care. [Att f\u00f6rdela bist\u00e5nd, Om handl\u00e4ggningsprocessen inom \u00e4ldreomsorgen],\n                      Doctoral Thesis. Ume\u00e5, Sweden: Ume\u00e5 Universitet."},{"key":"bibr19-1471301213494510","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1049732306293846"},{"key":"bibr20-1471301213494510","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4324\/9780203994610"},{"key":"bibr21-1471301213494510","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1471301211409374"},{"key":"bibr22-1471301213494510","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4135\/9781849209090.n3"},{"key":"bibr23-1471301213494510","unstructured":"National Board of Health and Welfare, Sweden. (2007). Demenssjukdomars samh\u00e4llskostnader och antalet dementa i Sverige 2005. [Societal dementia costs and prevalence of dementia in Sweden 2005]."},{"issue":"9","key":"bibr24-1471301213494510","first-page":"11","volume":"9","author":"Newhouse B.","year":"2002","journal-title":"Home Health Care Consultant"},{"key":"bibr25-1471301213494510","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/gps.1724"},{"issue":"2","key":"bibr26-1471301213494510","first-page":"117","volume":"9","author":"Nourhashemi F.","year":"2005","journal-title":"The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging"},{"key":"bibr27-1471301213494510","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/11038120600723190"},{"key":"bibr28-1471301213494510","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3233\/TAD-2009-0273"},{"key":"bibr29-1471301213494510","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/153944929801800203"},{"key":"bibr30-1471301213494510","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/110381201300173621"},{"key":"bibr31-1471301213494510","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1471-6712.2003.00177.x"},{"key":"bibr32-1471301213494510","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/11038120701441080"},{"key":"bibr33-1471301213494510","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0890-4065(03)00029-X"},{"key":"bibr34-1471301213494510","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/13607860601086470"},{"key":"bibr35-1471301213494510","unstructured":"Polkinghorne, D.E. (1988).\n                      Narrative knowing and the human sciences\n                      . Albany, NY: State University of New York Press."},{"key":"bibr36-1471301213494510","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0193945904265920"},{"key":"bibr37-1471301213494510","unstructured":"Svanstr\u00f6m, R. (2009).\n                      When the Lifeworld Texture Ruptures \u2013 Experiences of Living with Dementia\n                      .\n                      [N\u00e4r livsv\u00e4rldens monster brister \u2013 erfarenheter av att leva med demenssjukdom].\n                      (Doctoral thesis) V\u00e4xj\u00f6, Sweden: Linnaeus University Press."},{"key":"bibr38-1471301213494510","volume-title":"Dementia \u2013 Caring, ethics, ethnical and economical aspects, A systematic review, Volume 3)","author":"Swedish Council on Technology Assessment in Health Care","year":"2008"},{"issue":"34","key":"bibr39-1471301213494510","first-page":"1","volume":"25","author":"Vikstr\u00f6m S.","year":"2005","journal-title":"Occupation, Participation and health"},{"key":"bibr40-1471301213494510","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/geront\/34.1.8"},{"key":"bibr41-1471301213494510","volume-title":"The perspectives of people with dementia, research methods and motivations","author":"Wilkinson H.","year":"2002"},{"key":"bibr42-1471301213494510","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1471301209103273"},{"key":"bibr43-1471301213494510","unstructured":"World Medical Association. (2008) Declaration Of Helsinki\n                      Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects\n                      . 59th WMA General Assembly, Seoul, October 2008. World Medical Association, DoH, 2008."}],"container-title":["Dementia"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/1471301213494510","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1177\/1471301213494510","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/1471301213494510","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,28]],"date-time":"2026-04-28T17:47:21Z","timestamp":1777398441000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/1471301213494510"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2013,7,11]]},"references-count":43,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2015,3]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1177\/1471301213494510"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/1471301213494510","relation":{},"ISSN":["1471-3012","1741-2684"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1471-3012","type":"print"},{"value":"1741-2684","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2013,7,11]]}}}