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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2004

[Evaluation of gender differences of family caregivers with reference to the mode of caregiving at home and caregiver distress in Japan].

PURPOSE: Male caregivers are growing in number, as the frequency of spouse caregiving rapidly increases. This study aimed to examine gender differences in family caregivers with reference to the mode of caregiving and caregiver distress in Japan. It was designed to clarify the characteristics of both female and male caregivers. METHODS: The subjects were 2,020 users of public Long-term Care Insurance, randomly stratified and sampled in Higashi-osaka city, Osaka prefecture. Data were collected through mailed, anonymous self-report questionnaires. 1,287 (63.7%) surveys were collected and data from 868 caregivers and care recipients were analyzed, after excluding incomplete cases from 947 participants who were family caregivers. We compared males and females for the level of nursing needs, cognitive disorders of their care recipients, the types and amounts of care provided, the levels of their burdens and the depression associated with providing care, the availability of informal support, the frequency of usage of Long-term care insurance services, and the types of stress coping strategies. RESULTS: Of the total, 27.1% of the caregivers were male. Their age was higher than that of females, but the age of care recipients of female caregivers was significantly higher than that of care recipients of males. There were no significant gender differences in the level of nursing needs of recipients. However, cognitive disorders of care recipients of female caregivers were more severe. Female caregivers spent more time providing care, and performed a greater number of care activities. In particular, female caregivers assisted their care recipients in taking medications, dressing, bathing, eating, meal preparation, shopping, laundry, and money management more often to a significant degree. Furthermore, the average scores for burden and depression were higher in female than in male caregivers. Concerning the usage of Long-term care insurance services, males used a Home-helper service more often. Female caregivers used types of Informal support seeking and Positive acceptance of caregiving role as coping strategies more often than the men. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that caregiver's subjective burden and types of informal support seeking, as well as acceptance of the caregiving role were significantly higher in female caregivers. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that there are significant gender differences regarding the mode of caregiving and experience of caregiver distress in Japan. It is important that future research be focused on supplying appropriate social support for family caregivers, taking gender differences into account.

Aged↗

PubMed2006

Leisure-time exercise and overall physical activity in older women caregivers and non-caregivers from the Caregiver-SOF Study.

BACKGROUND: Elderly caregivers report less leisure-time physical activity than same-aged non-caregivers. However, through caregiving tasks, caregivers may be as physically active as non-caregivers. This study compared leisure-time exercise and overall physical activity in elderly women caregivers and non-caregivers. METHODS: The sample included 179 caregivers (153 cared for spouses and 26 for other relatives or friends) and 670 non-caregivers who were participants in the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures. Leisure-time exercise was based on respondents' report of walking for exercise or other regular exercise at least once a week. High overall physical activity included leisure-time exercise or being in the top quartile of walking and climbing stairs during one's daily routine. RESULTS: Leisure-time exercise was lower in spouse caregivers (adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.64, 0.41-1.00) and non-spouse caregivers (OR = 0.39, 95% CI = 0.16-0.95) than married non-caregivers. Differences in overall physical activity between caregivers and married non-caregivers were smaller and not statistically significant. Caregivers who climbed stairs at least 15 min/day during caregiving tasks reported more overall physical activity than non-caregivers (OR = 4.06, 95% CI = 1.23-13.36). CONCLUSIONS: Studies comparing physical activity in caregivers and non-caregivers should assess activities performed during routine caregiving tasks.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed2001

Dementia family caregiver training: affecting beliefs about caregiving and caregiver outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: Family caregiving is an integral part of the care system for persons with dementing disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease. This study tested role-training intervention as a way to help family caregivers appreciate and assume a more clinical belief set about caregiving and thereby ameliorate the adverse outcomes associated with caregiving. DESIGN: Training effectiveness was tested in a trial in which family care receiver dyads were randomly assigned to training beginning immediately or were placed in a wait-list control group and assigned to receive training in 5 to 6 months, following completion of data collection. SETTING: A community-based 14-hour training program provided in seven weekly 2-hour sessions. The training program curriculum was built on a stress and coping theory base. Recruitment and randomization were ongoing. Programs were begun every 2 months over a two and one half-year period for a total of 16 programs. PARTICIPANTS: Community health and social service agencies referred primary caregivers and at least one other family member of community-dwelling persons with dementia to participate. MEASUREMENTS: Data reported in this paper were gathered from each participating family at entry to the study and 5 months later. Standard measures of beliefs about caregiving, burden, depression, and reaction to care receiver behavior were administered to caregivers. A standard measure of mental status was administered to the person with dementia and standardized instruments were used to gather information from caregivers concerning care receivers' behavior and abilities to perform activities of daily living (ADLs). RESULTS: Data were analyzed from 94 caregiver/care receiver dyads with complete sets of data. Treatment and control caregivers and care receivers were similar at baseline, and care receivers in both groups declined similarly over the 5-month period. Significant within-group improvements occurred with treatment group caregivers on measures of beliefs about caregiving (P = .044) and reaction to behavior (P = .001). When outcomes were compared, treatment group caregivers were significantly different (in the expected direction) from those in the control group on measures of the stress mediator, beliefs (P = .025), and key outcomes, response to behavior (P = .019), depression (P = .040), and burden (P = .051). There was a significant positive association between the strengthened mediator, the caregivers' having less-emotionally enmeshed beliefs about caregiving roles and responsibilities, and the outcome, namely improvements in burden (P = .019) and depression (P = .007). CONCLUSION: A caregiver training intervention focused on the work of caregiving and targeted at knowledge, skills, and beliefs benefits caregivers in important outcome dimensions. The results suggest the benefits of providing information, linkage, and role coaching to dementia family caregivers.

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PubMed1999

Stroke patients' informal caregivers. Patient, caregiver, and service factors that affect caregiver strain.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Research has revealed that caring for a stroke patient can result in caregiver strain and a myriad of other difficulties for caregivers. This study aims to identify the level of strain experienced by caregivers in the early months after stroke and to assess the relationship between caregiver strain and caregiver characteristics, patient characteristics, and service inputs. METHODS: Stroke patients were identified through a random stratified sample of general practices. Patients were asked to identify their principal informal caregiver. Strain was measured with the Caregiver Strain Index, and all data were collected from caregivers at 1, 3, and 6 months after the patient's stroke. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the factors associated with caregiver strain. RESULTS: Six months after stroke, 37% of caregivers were experiencing considerable strain. The amount of time a caregiver spent helping a stroke patient, the amount of time the caregiver spent with the patient, and the caregiver's health were all significantly associated with the level of strain experienced. Although none of the services or patient factors tested in this study were consistently associated with strain, an indicator of stroke severity was significant at each time point. CONCLUSIONS: Caregivers are experiencing strain, which has implications for research and service provision. Service providers need to identify caregivers at risk of greater strain and to help caregivers work through situations that services cannot alter. Research is needed to identify services that are effective in strain alleviation. Future research should also aim to identify the interface between patient characteristics and strain, burden, and depression and particularly to assess the caregiver's perception of these relationships.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Caregivers and professionals partnership caregiver resource center: assessing a hospital support program for family caregivers.

BACKGROUND: Given that 71% of caregivers nationally report that they are caring for someone with a long-term or chronic illness, providing support to families-from diagnosis to the bereavement phase--is essential. PURPOSE: This paper describes an exploratory assessment of a hospital-based support program for family caregivers, the Caregivers and Professionals Partnership (CAPP) Caregiver Resource Center. The goal of the program evaluation was to understand the challenges facing caregivers who used the Center, how social workers intervened and the results of their interventions. Authors suggest that caregivers benefit from social work interventions that focus both on the emotional impact of caregiving and the multiple resource issues caregivers face. METHODS: Social workers assisted more than half of participating caregivers with emotional coping issues as well as referrals to community resources. In approximately 75% of cases, social workers followed up with caregivers to engage them in services and ensure that they received ongoing support. FINDINGS: From the perspective of Resource Center social workers, their interventions enhanced caregivers' abilities to cope with their responsibilities. CONCLUSIONS: Supporting caregivers over time and following up to ensure that they access needed services are critical ways to help them cope with care of a loved one. Future research can focus on how to engage caregivers who are isolated or too overwhelmed to ask for help in order to increase their use of caregiver assistance programs.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1998

Differences between and within genders in caregiving strain: a comparison between caregivers of demented and non-caregivers of non-demented elderly people.

Fifty-two caregivers for demented and 66 non-caregivers for non-demented elderly were investigated both within a gender and between genders. All participants were relatives and a burden questionnaire was used. The results showed that there was not always a difference between the caregivers for demented and the non-caregivers for non-demented elderly which may indicate that being a relative, even to a non-demented elderly, has obviously its own problems and importance. However, results showed more significant differences between female caregivers and female non-caregivers than between male caregivers and male non-caregivers, with females caring for a demented elderly suffering most strain. Their strain was exhibited by health problems, conflicts in the family, strained relations with family and others, a less positive outlook and limits in social support because of the caregiving situation. When investigating the group of male caregivers and male non-caregivers, it was found that males caring for a demented elderly person experienced a lack of positive outlook and a need for social support. The elderly person's residence in the group of caregivers for demented elderly people and in the group of non-caregivers for non-demented elderly people did not, however, appear to indicate any significant differences.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

The influence of caregiving stressors, social support, and caregiving appraisal on marital functioning among African American wife caregivers.

Using a stress and coping framework, we examined the influence of caregiving stressors, social support, and caregiving appraisal on the marital functioning of 100 African American wife caregivers. Results of separate multivariate analyses revealed received church support, caregiving burden, and caregiving satisfaction significantly predicted wives' marital functioning, when caregivers' background characteristics (age and education), length of caregiving, whether first marriage, and urban versus rural location were controlled. Receiving church support was associated with increased marital functioning. Lower levels of caregiving burden were associated with increased marital functioning. Higher levels of caregiving satisfaction were associated with increased marital functioning. Findings illuminate wives' caregiving and marital experiences, and have implications for family therapy and future research.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1994

Caregiver role appraisal and caregiver tasks as factors in ending caregiving.

This study focuses on factors related to why people with primary responsibility for providing care to ADL-impaired elderly persons ended their caregiving roles. Data are from the 1982 National Long-Term Care Survey and the Informal Caregiver Survey. Variables reflecting characteristics of care recipients and caregivers, caregiver role responsibilities, and appraisal of the caregiver role are investigated. Of particular interest is the influence of role responsibilities, such as number of ADL tasks, relative to appraisal of the caregiving role. The results indicate that factors other than role responsibilities are important in understanding who ends caregiving, and that risk factor profiles may prove a useful means of targeting caregivers at greatest risk of ending caregiving.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed1997

Cultural differences in caregiving motivations for demented parents: Korean caregivers versus American caregivers.

The study examined differences in motivations for parent care of Korean caregivers and Caucasian American caregivers of elderly parents with dementia. A number of American caregivers, mostly daughters of the demented parents, had affectionate relationships with their parents, but they expressed a relatively low degree of filial responsibility. In contrast, among Korean caregivers, the care of demented parents was predominantly the responsibility of daughters-in-law who were less likely to have affectionate relationships with the parents-in-law. However, Korean caregivers expressed a significantly higher level of filial responsibility than the American caregivers. Some cultural differences between the two ethnic groups associated with parent care were discussed.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Caregiver strain and caregiver burden of primary caregivers of stroke survivors with and without aphasia.

Little is known about how the burden and strain of caring for stroke patients with or without aphasia affects primary caregivers. This article (a) critically examines the literature on the burden and strain of care experienced by caregivers of stroke patients and (b) examines the relationship between aphasia and caregiver burden and strain. Two literature reviews of three databases were conducted. Fourteen articles (12 quantitative articles, 1 mixed-design article, and 1 qualitative article) were found to comply with the study criteria for the first literature search. A second literature search focused on the effects of stroke survivors' aphasia on caregiving; none of the articles retrieved met the inclusion criteria. This article suggests that there is a lack of research in this area and that several key initiatives are needed, including the development of an instrument with psychometric properties appropriate for assessing the burden and strain on caregivers of stroke patients. Implications for future nursing practice and research are highlighted.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed2007

Using mixed methods to evaluate the use of a caregiver strain measure to assess outcomes of a caregiver support program for caregivers of older adults.

PURPOSE: Many assessment tools have been developed for evaluating caregiving programs, but the majority are too cumbersome for ongoing use. This study reports on a brief assessment tool used to monitor strain among family members caring for an impaired elder. DESIGN AND METHODS: Participants were enrolled in the SeniorCare program, a program funded by the Administration on Aging to provide care to family caregivers. The Caregiver Risk Screen (CRS) is a 12-item measure of strain, initially developed as part of an in-home assessment procedure. Its utility for use in practice settings over time was assessed using both quantitative and qualitative methodology. RESULTS: Chronbach alpha levels for the CRS were 0.85 at intake and 0.84 at first follow-up. At the first follow-up, the overall index score and five of the 12 items showed statistically significant lessened strain. In subsequent follow-up evaluations, the average improvements were maintained but there was no additional decrease in strain. Individual variations in changes over time were identified by combining quantitative and qualitative information. Themes that emerged in qualitative data served to modify the measure for future use. IMPLICATIONS: The brief Caregiver Risk Screen tool appears to be a reliable and valid tool for use in practice settings. It is acceptable to clients and professional staff. Modifications have been made that may further enhance the suitability of this measure for other settings.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1998

Quality of the caregiver--care recipient relationship: does it offset negative consequences of caregiving for family caregivers?

This study examined whether relationship quality mediates, moderates, or both mediates and moderates the associations between caregiving stressors (e.g., disability and behavioral problems) and negative consequences associated with caregiver well-being (overload, role captivity, and depression). Data on family (spouses and children) caregivers (n = 118) came from a longitudinal study of a representative sample of disabled older people and their primary caregivers. Relationship quality mediated the linkages between the presence of problem behaviors and the outcomes of role captivity and depression. That is, when problem behaviors were present, they related to higher levels of captivity and depression because quality of the relationship suffered. Relationship quality moderated the linkage between disability and overload. Specifically, for those with a higher quality of relationship, increased disability was related to higher levels of perceived overload.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Caregiver appraisals of functional dependence in individuals with dementia and associated caregiver upset: psychometric properties of a new scale and response patterns by caregiver and care recipient characteristics.

UNLABELLED: To evaluate psychometric properties and response patterns of the Care-giver Assessment of Function and Upset (CAFU), a 15-item multidimensional measure of dependence in dementia patients and caregiver reaction. METHOD: 640 families were administered the CAFU (53% White, 43% African American, and 4% mixed race and ethnicity). We created a random split of the sample and conducted exploratory factor analyses on Sample 1 and confirmatory factor analyses on Sample 2. Convergent and discriminant validity were evaluated using Spearman rank correlation coefficients. RESULTS: A two-factor structure for functional items was derived, and excellent factorial validity was obtained. Convergent and discriminant validity were obtained for function and upset measures. Differential response patterns for dependence and caregiver upset were found for caregiver race, relationship, and care recipient gender but not for caregiver gender. DISCUSSION: The CAFU is easily administered, reliable, and valid for evaluating appraisals of dependencies and upsetting care areas.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed2006

Life satisfaction among informal caregivers in comparison with non-caregivers.

Being a caregiver with responsibility for someone with reduced health compared with not being a caregiver may mean different views of life satisfaction. Knowledge of what leads to reduced life satisfaction in caregivers may be helpful in interventions. Informal caregivers gainfully employed or not, aged 50-89 years, were studied with regard to life satisfaction depending on the extent of caregiving to identify types of social support of value for caregivers. A cross-sectional study was conducted including a sample of 151 informal caregivers with a high caregiving extent, 392 caregivers with a lower caregiving extent and 1258 non-caregivers. The sample was randomly selected to correspond with older Swedes as a whole aged 50-89 years. A questionnaire containing a modified form of Older Americans' Resources Schedule (OARS) and Life Satisfaction Index Z (LSIZ) was used; 19.6% helped someone with activities of daily living and of these 27% stated that they did so frequently. Frequent caregiving implied significantly higher age, being more often married and retired, than less frequent caregivers and non-caregivers. Frequent caregivers also performed personal activities of daily living (PADL) to a higher extent than less frequent caregivers and had significantly lower LSIZ (mean 14.8) than less frequent caregivers (mean 17.6) and non-caregivers (mean 17.7). No significant differences were found between less frequent caregivers and non-caregivers in LSIZ. One-fourth had support from others, the commonest type being able to converse with a next of kin, and help and advice from professionals. Lower life satisfaction was associated with not being employed, low social resources, not refreshed after a night's sleep, overall poor health and frequent caregiving in the entire sample. High caregiving extent was associated with lower life satisfaction. The most important factors explaining lower life satisfaction among frequent caregivers were having low social resources and having poor health. Economic compensation or payment was the support most desired.

Aged↗

PubMed2007

Caregiving time in sickle cell disease: psychological effects in maternal caregivers.

BACKGROUND: Providing home care for a child with a chronic illness can be stressful for the family. The purpose of this paper is to examine patterns of caregiving and the associated psychological impact on maternal caregivers of children with sickle cell disease (SCD). PROCEDURE: Fourteen maternal caregivers of children with SCD were interviewed as part of a larger study of maternal caregivers of children with chronic illness. Forty-four caregivers of children with HIV and 36 caregivers of healthy children were included as comparison groups. Interviews included questions regarding amount of time spent providing care for the child (technical care, non-technical care, health care management), hospitalization, emergency room visits, illness stigma, and mental health of the caregiver. RESULTS: Children with SCD had significantly lower functional status and significantly more hospitalizations in the previous 3 months than children with HIV. Caregivers of children with SCD were more likely to work full-time and had higher incomes than caregivers of children with HIV. The three caregiving groups did not differ significantly on amount of total care, although caregivers of children with SCD and caregivers of children with HIV both reported significantly more time spent in technical care than caregivers of healthy children. Despite lower functional status of the children in the SCD group, when group comparisons on caregiving time variables were adjusted for child's functional status, the differences between groups increased. This appeared to be due to the fact that caregivers in the HIV group spent more time in all caregiving categories except skin, crisis, and other care. In terms of caregiver mental health, caregivers of children with HIV and SCD had significantly higher depressive mood scores than caregivers of healthy children but the groups did not differ on caregiving burden. CONCLUSIONS: The perceived care burden of caregivers of children with SCD may be related to the unpredictable nature of the crisis care they provide. Additional attention is warranted to developing adequate resources for caregivers of children with SCD to mitigate the stress of unexpected crises.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMedDate not supplied

A comparison of the well-being of family caregivers of elderly patients hospitalized with physical impairments versus the caregivers of patients hospitalized with dementia.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the differences between the level of well-being of caregivers of older patients hospitalized with dementia and the well-being of caregivers of older patients hospitalized with physical impairments. It also explored the relationships between social roles, religious faith, and well-being. SETTING: Two groups were constructed to compare caregivers' well-being levels: caregivers of patients with dementia and caregivers of patients with physical impairments. The groups were caregivers of patients of two geriatric hospitals in central Israel. Patients were categorized by their medical files according to their medical diagnosis. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 107 caregivers participated in this research. Of that number, 46% were caregivers of patients with physical impairments while the other 54% were caregivers of patients with dementia. The patients with physical impairments suffered from stroke, hip fractures, Parkinson's disease, diabetes, and heart and lung diseases. The patients with dementia suffered from Alzheimer's disease or related dementia. Of the total number of patients, 67% were males and 33% were females. INTERVENTION: The caregivers were asked to fill out a questionnaire that included 90 questions. Some of the questionnaires were given to the caregivers to be filled out at home. MEASUREMENTS: The questionnaire integrated three subcategories: well-being, identity accumulation, and religious faith. RESULTS: Differences were found only in the dimensions of social activity. Caregivers of the patients with physical impairments were found to attend synagogues and clubs more than caregivers of the patients with dementia did. The number of the caregivers' social roles were found to have been significantly related to caregivers' mental health. A negative correlation was found between the intensity of religious faith and the level of the caregivers' spouses' self-rated physical and mental health: those of stronger faith rated their physical health lower and were reported to have more symptoms of stress. CONCLUSION: There are no significant differences between the level of well-being of caregivers of patients with dementia and caregivers of patients with physical impairments. Both groups of caregivers are at great risk of compromised physical and mental health, of decreased social activity, and of financial distresses. Various social roles and religious faith may enhance the caregiver's well-being. However, the spouse's religious faith has negative effects on their own well-being. These results call for welfare services and religious organizations to form support groups for family caregivers. They also make clear that all caregivers should benefit from the same social support if their older relatives are hospitalized.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2001

Family caregiving in hospice: effects on psychological and health functioning among spousal caregivers of hospice patients with lung cancer or dementia.

INTRODUCTION: Caregiving stress has been found to lead to depression and poor health among caregivers compared with age-matched non-caregiving controls. However, most of these studies have focused on dementia caregivers, and have not included hospice caregivers. The aim of this project was to assess the impact of caregiving stress on psychological and health functioning among spousal caregivers of hospice patients, in contrast to demographically matched non-caregiving controls. A secondary aim was to compare the caregiving stressors and psychological and health functioning between spousal caregivers of hospice patients with dementia versus lung cancer. METHODS: Forty spousal caregivers of hospice patients with dementia, and 40 spousal caregivers of hospice patients with lung cancer, were compared on admission to hospice, using measures of caregiving stressors, depression, life satisfaction, and physical health, with a sample of 40 demographically equated control subjects. RESULTS: Both groups of caregivers showed higher depression, lower life satisfaction and poorer physical health (p < .05) compared with non-caregivers. Over half of all caregivers evidenced clinically significant levels of depression, with rates of depression about three times the prevalence found in community samples of older adults. CONCLUSIONS: While family caregivers of hospice patients with dementia and lung cancer face very different objective stressors, the negative psychological and health impacts on the caregiver are marked and comparable across diagnosis. Hospice family caregivers are at high risk for both psychological and physical health disorders, and caregiver depression and health problems should be systematically assessed and treated by the hospice team.

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PubMed1999

Family caregiving to elderly African Americans: caregiver types and structures.

OBJECTIVES: This study identified different types of caregivers who provide care to older African Americans, the types of caregiving structures created to provide care, and the factors that help predict caregiving structures. METHODS: A community sample of 330 caregivers caring for 202 elderly African Americans was used. Multinomial logistic regression predicted what type of caregiving structure was created by families to provide care to older relatives. RESULTS: Three types of caregivers were identified: 187 primary caregivers, who were connected to 79 secondary caregivers and 49 tertiary caregivers. Fifteen tertiary-only caregivers who were not connected to other caregivers were identified. Five caregiving structures were found: (i) primary, secondary, and tertiary, (ii) primary and secondary, (iii) primary and tertiary, (iv) primary only, and (v) tertiary-only. Characteristics of care recipients were predictive of caregiving structures. DISCUSSION: Different types of caregivers with distinct roles and responsibilities provided care within defined caregiving structures to older African American family members. Caregiving structures may be individualistic (only one caregiver) or collectivist (two or more caregivers). Caregiving structure is predicted by the care recipients' conditions and situations, but not those of the primary caregiver.

Adult↗