Spiritual Coping Among Palestinian Muslim Family Caregivers of People With Dementia: A Qualitative Study

Caring for a family member with dementia is highly challenging. Many family caregivers rely on spirituality and religion to cope, particularly in Palestine, where health and social support services are severely limited. This study aimed to explore how spirituality is used by Muslim family caregivers of people with dementia in Palestine. A qualitative exploratory design was employed. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with a convenience sample of 21 participants from January to March 2025. Data were analyzed using content analysis. Participants had a mean age of 47.4 (±5.8) years, were all adult children of their care recipients, and were predominantly female (90.5%). The analysis revealed several interconnected spiritual coping strategies, categorized into four major themes: "blessing in disguise", focusing on the afterlife, stoicism, and intermissions. Spirituality is vital for supporting Muslim family caregivers of people with dementia. The findings can inform the development of high-quality, tailored, and culturally sensitive spiritual care interventions.