THE SUBJECTIVE FEELING OF BURDEN IN CAREGIVERS OF ELDERLY WITH DEMENTIA: HOW TO INTERVENE?

Abstract The aim of this study was to know how caregiver burden was influenced by caregivers’ and patients’ characteristics and by social support; the intention was to use these elements in order to suggest how to optimize the interventions which may reduce caregivers’ subjective feeling of burden....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Archives of gerontology and geriatrics 2009, Vol.49, p.153-161
Main Authors: Luchetti, L, Uhunmwangho, E, Dordoni, G, Lorido, A, Barbieri, S, Bolognesi, A.G, Gobbi, G, Franchi, F
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Caregiver burden inventory
Caregivers - psychology
Caregiving to patients with dementia
Carers
Caretaker syndrome
Dementia
Dementia - therapy
Female
Homebound Persons
Humans
Internal Medicine
Interventions
Male
Middle Aged
Perception
Respite Care - psychology
Subjective feelings
Surveys and Questionnaires
Workload - psychology
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Summary:Abstract The aim of this study was to know how caregiver burden was influenced by caregivers’ and patients’ characteristics and by social support; the intention was to use these elements in order to suggest how to optimize the interventions which may reduce caregivers’ subjective feeling of burden. A sample of 99 caregivers was studied using a descriptive-correlational design. Caregiver burden was assessed by using the caregiver burden inventory (CBI). The burden was due to restrictions on their personal time and to the sense of failure regarding their hopes and expectations. These results suggest that it could be useful to intervene in two ways. On one hand, improving all those interventions targeted to reduce restrictions on the personal caregivers’ time, making respite care and day care units more accessible to elderly with dementia. On the other hand, giving caregivers the opportunity to benefit from interventions oriented to cope the sense of failure and the physical stress, to say, individual counseling or continued informal support.
ISSN:0167-4943
1872-6976
DOI:10.1016/j.archger.2009.09.025