10.2190/SH.4.1-2.i B7J64J761J0N5468 8 Positioning in a Support Group for Spouses of Persons with Dementia 121 136 20080613 20080613 20080613 20080613 B7J64J761J0N5468.pdf http://baywood.metapress.com/link.asp?target=contribution&id=B7J64J761J0N5468 1 Mindi Ann Golden Dale A. Lund San Francisco State University, California University of Utah, Salt Lake City The overwhelming nature of caregiving for a person with dementia leads many caregivers to join a support group. Support group conversations shape how members understand their circumstances and themselves. Patterns of support group conversations may facilitate ways of thinking of oneself as a caregiver that ease negative impacts of caregiving. Guided by positioning theory, this participant observation case study examines how spouse caregivers of persons with dementia are positioned in patterns of support group conversations. Five patterns of conversations are identified—change, continuity, negative impacts, management, and caring for oneself. Through these five patterns of conversations, dementing spouses and their caregivers are constructed as objective/subjective dualities. The implications of this duality for caregivers and support groups are discussed.

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