Life Patterns of Family Caregivers of Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a terminal disease that greatly affects patients and the family caregivers who provide most of their care. Despite the psychological, physical, and financial strain placed on ALS caregivers, few research efforts have been directed to this caregiving phenomenon. The purpose of this research study, utilizing Newman's health as expanding consciousness as the theoretical framework and research method, was to advance understanding of the experience of ALS family caregivers for the advancement of nursing science.

A glimmer into the understanding of family.

This column is concerned with research and the family. An interview with both Sharon Falkenstern, who ascribes to health as expanding consciousness, and Steven Baumann, whose work is underpinned by the humanbecoming school of thought, is presented. Finally, insights into research and the family will be brought to light.

Health as expanding consciousness with families with a child with special healthcare needs.

Families have health experiences that become enfolded within their life patterns. Based within Newman's conceptualization of health as expanding consciousness, the purpose of this study was to develop knowledge about the nurse-client process of facilitating health in families who have a child with special healthcare needs. The research as praxis method was used to answer the research question, What is the evolving pattern of the nurse-client process that facilitates health as expanding consciousness in families who have a child with special healthcare needs?

Healthcare providers' perspectives: estimating the impact of chronicity.

Purpose: To compare elders' self-ratings of the impact of their chronic conditions with healthcare providers' estimates of the impact of the same conditions on older adults. The effect of length of time in clinical practice and rural or urban clientele on healthcare providers' impact ratings was also explored.

Data Sources: A pen-and-paper survey was administered to 122 community-dwelling adults aged 55 years and older, attending health education or exercise programs held by a hospital in a city of approximately 60,000 people.