Second Partnership and Dementia Care in a Blended Family: Case Study of a Wicked Problem

Dr Olga Asrun Stefansdottir has a Master's degree in family therapy and is an occupational therapist and academic teacher at the School of Health, Business and Natural Sciences, Faculty of Occupational Therapy, University of Akureyri, Iceland. She is a PhD student in health, function and participation at the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Campus Bergen, Norway. Mrs. Stefansdottir has an adjunct practice where she offers occupation therapy and family therapy to individuals, couples and families, survivors of trauma or abuse, persons with dementia and their relatives. Her research focuses on ageing, dementia, couples/cohabitants, and families and examines communication, trauma processing, stress, and balance in daily life in families. Mrs. Stefansdottir leads a support group for the next of kin of people with dementia. She participates in an interdisciplinary teaching group for a Master's degree in counselling for people with dementia at the University of Akureyri. In affiliation with the welfare department of the municipality of Akureyri, she is currently building services for people with dementia and their relatives.

Dr.  Merrie J Kaas, PhD, APRN, PMHCNS, FAAN, Professor Emeritus at the University of Minnesota School of Nursing, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.  Dr. Kaas has 40 years of teaching experience with undergraduate and graduate students. Her research has broadly focused on the mental health concerns of older adults, with a special emphasis on geriatric depression. Professor Kaas has led interprofessional academic and research grants in psychiatric/mental health nursing and care of persons with mental illness. She participated in multiple professional journal editorial boards and review committees and was selected as a Fellow in the prestigious American Academy of Nursing in 2011. Dr. Kaas was a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Akureyri, Iceland (2017) and a Fulbright Specialist at the University of Iceland (2022-2023) where she co-developed the curriculum for Iceland’s first clinically focused graduate psychiatric/mental health program. She continues to publish about psychiatric/mental health nursing care. Dr. Kaas currently practices as an independent advanced practice clinical nurse, where she provides medication management and psychotherapy to adults and older adults with mood disorders, ADHD, and substance use disorders.

Tobba Sudmann is a full professor of public health, physiotherapist, medical sociologist and academic head of the PhD program in health and function participation at the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Campus Bergen, Norway. She has an adjunct practice where she offers equine-facilitated physiotherapy to persons with dementia, survivors of trauma or abuse, and persons with lifelong neurological or mental health disorders. Her research focuses on how people use their bodily resources to enhance their wellbeing and social participation, whether the means are indoor or outdoor physical activity, technology, nature, or horses. Professor Sudmann leads several projects, as follows: physical activities for persons with dementia, equine-facilitated physiotherapy and activities for survivors of abuse, and substance use or severe mental health problems. She is also involved in projects related to ageing, e-health literacy, and digitalization. Her publications include edited special issues, articles and book chapters on community work, technology and aged care, e-health, priority settings, public health, equine-facilitated physiotherapy, addiction problems, anti-oppressive practice and micro-aggression.