Gunn Steinsheim
About
I am an assistant professor at the Bachelor of Nursing program at the Department of Public Health and Nursing (ISM), at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Previously, I was employed as a Ph.D. Candidate in Medicine and Health Sciences at the same department. My Ph.D. project is called “Stretched to the Limit? - The Role Caregiver Burden has on the Extent of Elder Abuse among Home Dwelling People with Dementia”. I am currently a member of the research group Aging and Older Persons’ Health.
Background
I am a registered nurse with experience in Municipal Health Services. I hold a Master’s degree in Human Movement and Occupational Science from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) from 2017. I worked at the Centre for Development of Institutional and Home Care Services (USHT) Trøndelag (South) as a manager and employee/advisor for three years. There I worked mainly with various professional development projects and skills enhancement among employees in the municipal health services. I also have courses in project and process management. In 2019, I started working as a Research Assistant in the research project Elder abuse in residential care settings at NTNU, until I started my Ph.D. project in February 2020.
Ph.D. project - Stretched to the Limit?
Relatives and other informal caregivers are the most important support for people with dementia. Most caregivers provide good care but caring for a person with dementia can be demanding. Research shows that people living at home with dementia are particularly vulnerable to elder abuse. The challenges that arise from caring for a person with dementia, combined with the relatives' health, the ability to cope with demanding care situations, and the municipalities' services offered to this group raise important issues. Can the burden on some caregivers sometimes can be too heavy?
The overall purpose of this project is to enable municipal health services to prevent elder abuse of home-dwelling persons with dementia. The aim is to investigate how the caregiver's experience of caregiver burden affects the ability to master the caregiving task, as well as what factors can lead to elder abuse. This knowledge is important for decision-makers and health professionals in the work of preventing abuse.
The study design is a cross-sectional study of caregivers of people living with dementia. Data will be collected through anonymous self-reported questionnaires mailed to the respondents. The questionnaire is based on the Contextual Theory of Elder Abuse.
This project has been made possible by the Dam Foundation.
Partners: Norwegian Health Association, The Norwegian Pensioners’ Association, The Norwegian Carers Alliance, St. Olavs Hospital Trondheim University Hospital, National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) at the Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California (USC).
Project period 2020 – 2024.
Research
Publications
2025
-
Steinsheim, Gunn;
Saga, Susan;
Malmedal, Wenche Karin;
Olsen, Bonnie.
(2025)
Stretched to the Limit? Informal caregiver burden and elder abuse among home-dwelling persons with dementia.
Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet
Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet
Doctoral dissertation
2023
-
Steinsheim, Gunn;
Malmedal, Wenche Karin;
Follestad, Turid;
Olsen, Bonnie;
Saga, Susan.
(2023)
Contextual Factors Associated with Abuse of Home-Dwelling Persons with Dementia: A Cross-Sectional Exploratory Study of Informal Caregivers.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH)
Academic article
-
Steinsheim, Gunn;
Malmedal, Wenche Karin;
Follestad, Turid;
Olsen, Bonnie;
Saga, Susan.
(2023)
Factors associated with subjective burden among informal caregivers of home-dwelling people with dementia: a cross-sectional study.
BMC Geriatrics
Academic article
2022
-
Steinsheim, Gunn;
Saga, Susan;
Olsen, Bonnie;
Broen, Helene Kjeka;
Malmedal, Wenche Karin.
(2022)
Abusive episodes among home-dwelling persons with dementia and their informal caregivers: a cross-sectional Norwegian study.
BMC Geriatrics
Academic article
-
Alnes, Rigmor Einang;
Malmedal, Wenche Karin;
Nordtug, Bente;
Steinsheim, Gunn;
Blindheim, Kari.
(2022)
Improving everyday life of people with dementia living at home: Health care professionals' experiences.
Journal of Nursing Management
Academic article
2021
-
Moe, Aud;
Alnes, Rigmor Einang;
Nordtug, Bente;
Blindheim, Kari;
Steinsheim, Gunn;
Malmedal, Wenche.
(2021)
Coping with everyday life for home-dwelling persons with dementia: A qualitative study.
Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare
Academic article
-
Nordtug, Bente;
Malmedal, Wenche Karin;
Alnes, Rigmor Einang;
Blindheim, Kari;
Steinsheim, Gunn;
Moe, Aud.
(2021)
Informal caregivers and persons with dementia's everyday life coping.
Health Psychology Open (HPO)
Academic article
2020
-
Malmedal, Wenche Karin;
Kilvik, Astrid;
Steinsheim, Gunn;
Botngård, Anja.
(2020)
A literature review of survey instruments used to measure staff-to-resident abuse in residential care settings.
Nursing Open
Academic article
-
Malmedal, Wenche Karin;
Steinsheim, Gunn;
Nordtug, Bente;
Blindheim, Kari;
Alnes, Rigmor Einang;
Moe, Aud.
(2020)
How Volunteers Contribute to Persons with Dementia Coping in Everyday Life.
Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare
Academic article
-
Steinsheim, Gunn;
Malmedal, Wenche Karin.
(2020)
Tidlig oppdagelse av forverret tilstand - En kvalitativ studie av ansattes erfaringer med innføring av en tiltakspakke for pasientsikkerhet.
Tidsskrift for omsorgsforskning
Academic article
Journal publications
-
Steinsheim, Gunn;
Malmedal, Wenche Karin;
Follestad, Turid;
Olsen, Bonnie;
Saga, Susan.
(2023)
Contextual Factors Associated with Abuse of Home-Dwelling Persons with Dementia: A Cross-Sectional Exploratory Study of Informal Caregivers.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH)
Academic article
-
Steinsheim, Gunn;
Malmedal, Wenche Karin;
Follestad, Turid;
Olsen, Bonnie;
Saga, Susan.
(2023)
Factors associated with subjective burden among informal caregivers of home-dwelling people with dementia: a cross-sectional study.
BMC Geriatrics
Academic article
-
Steinsheim, Gunn;
Saga, Susan;
Olsen, Bonnie;
Broen, Helene Kjeka;
Malmedal, Wenche Karin.
(2022)
Abusive episodes among home-dwelling persons with dementia and their informal caregivers: a cross-sectional Norwegian study.
BMC Geriatrics
Academic article
-
Alnes, Rigmor Einang;
Malmedal, Wenche Karin;
Nordtug, Bente;
Steinsheim, Gunn;
Blindheim, Kari.
(2022)
Improving everyday life of people with dementia living at home: Health care professionals' experiences.
Journal of Nursing Management
Academic article
-
Moe, Aud;
Alnes, Rigmor Einang;
Nordtug, Bente;
Blindheim, Kari;
Steinsheim, Gunn;
Malmedal, Wenche.
(2021)
Coping with everyday life for home-dwelling persons with dementia: A qualitative study.
Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare
Academic article
-
Nordtug, Bente;
Malmedal, Wenche Karin;
Alnes, Rigmor Einang;
Blindheim, Kari;
Steinsheim, Gunn;
Moe, Aud.
(2021)
Informal caregivers and persons with dementia's everyday life coping.
Health Psychology Open (HPO)
Academic article
-
Malmedal, Wenche Karin;
Kilvik, Astrid;
Steinsheim, Gunn;
Botngård, Anja.
(2020)
A literature review of survey instruments used to measure staff-to-resident abuse in residential care settings.
Nursing Open
Academic article
-
Malmedal, Wenche Karin;
Steinsheim, Gunn;
Nordtug, Bente;
Blindheim, Kari;
Alnes, Rigmor Einang;
Moe, Aud.
(2020)
How Volunteers Contribute to Persons with Dementia Coping in Everyday Life.
Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare
Academic article
-
Steinsheim, Gunn;
Malmedal, Wenche Karin.
(2020)
Tidlig oppdagelse av forverret tilstand - En kvalitativ studie av ansattes erfaringer med innføring av en tiltakspakke for pasientsikkerhet.
Tidsskrift for omsorgsforskning
Academic article
Report
-
Steinsheim, Gunn;
Saga, Susan;
Malmedal, Wenche Karin;
Olsen, Bonnie.
(2025)
Stretched to the Limit? Informal caregiver burden and elder abuse among home-dwelling persons with dementia.
Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet
Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet
Doctoral dissertation
Teaching
Courses
- SYT6301 - Medication administration and calculation
- SYT2302MED - Complex Assessments for Decision Making in Nursing - Clinical Studies
- SYT2302KIR - Complex Assessments for Decision Making in Nursing - Clinical Studies
- SYT2302HJE - Complex Assessments for Decision Making in Nursing - Clinical Studies
- FH3009 - Ageing and Health
- SYT2302PSY - Complex Assessments for Decision Making in Nursing - Clinical Studies
Outreach
2025
-
InterviewBergseng, Anne; Steinsheim, Gunn. (2025) Norsk studie: Eldre med demens utsettes for vold og overgrep. VG VG [Journal] 2025-05-11
-
InterviewMidling, Anne Sliper; Steinsheim, Gunn; Malmedal, Wenche Karin; Saga, Susan. (2025) Eldre med demens utsettes for vold, overgrep og omsorgssvikt i eget hjem. Gemini.no Gemini.no [Internet] 2025-05-19
-
InterviewSteinsheim, Gunn. (2025) Intervju om eldre med demens som opplever vold, overgrep og omsorgssvikt i eget hjem. TV2 TV2 [TV] 2025-05-20
2024
-
LectureSteinsheim, Gunn. (2024) Home-dwelling persons with dementia in Norway: Elder abuse, caregiver burden, and caregiver support. Visit of Dr.Urakami's research group from Japan , Trondheim 2024-12-05 - 2024-12-05
-
LectureSteinsheim, Gunn. (2024) Strekkes strikken for langt? - Betydningen pårørendes omsorgsbelastning har for forekomsten av vold og overgrep blant hjemmeboende personer med demens. Pårørende og omsorgsbyrde , Webinar 2024-11-06 - 2024-11-06
2023
-
Academic lectureMalmedal, Wenche Karin; Steinsheim, Gunn; Saga, Susan; Olsen, Bonnie. (2023) Abusive episodes among home-dwelling persons with dementia and their informal caregivers. Hongo Summer Dojo , Tokyo 2023-08-05 - 2023-08-05
2022
-
LectureSteinsheim, Gunn. (2022) Strekkes strikken for langt? Hverdagen for pårørende med ansvar for hjemmeboende personer med demens. Medlemsmøte Seniorsykepleiere Trøndelag , Trondheim 2022-09-23 - 2022-09-23
-
PosterSteinsheim, Gunn; Saga, Susan; Olsen, Bonnie; Malmedal, Wenche Karin. (2022) Proportion of abusive episodes in persons with dementia and their informal caregivers during the Covid-19 pandemic. Judith D Tamkin International Symposium on Elder Abuse , Pasadena, Los Angeles, California, USA 2022-02-24 - 2022-02-25
2021
-
InterviewSteinsheim, Gunn. (2021) Spør om demenssyke utsettes for ulike typer av vold, overgrep og forsømmelser. Sykepleien Sykepleien [Journal] 2021-06-29
-
Academic lectureSteinsheim, Gunn. (2021) Stretched to the limit? -The role caregiver burden has on the extent of elder abuse among home-dwelling persons with dementia. Webinar , Alhambra, Los Angeles, California 2021-11-09 - 2021-11-09
-
InterviewSteinsheim, Gunn. (2021) Intervju om PhD-studien "Strekkes strikken for langt?". NRKP1+ Frokostradien NRKP1+ Frokostradien [Radio] 2021-05-26
-
LectureSteinsheim, Gunn. (2021) Hvordan oppdage forverret tilstand hos skrøpelige eldre?. Skrøpelighet blant eldre - Hva er kunnskapsstatus, utfordringer og erfaringer fra praksis? , Digitalt 2021-03-18 - 2021-03-18