Care-Related Stress A Comparison of Spouse and Adult-Child Caregivers in Shared and Separate Households This research examines the role that relationship and household arrangement have in explaining the levels of care-related stress effects experienced by spouse and adult-child caregivers in shared and separate residences. Data from 180 spouse and adult-child caregivers were analyzed to identify differences in caregiver health decline, relationship strain, and activity restriction across these settings when the effects of elder impairment, caregiver age, and use of social supports are controlled. Results show that spouse and adult children in shared households experience similar levels of care-related strain. However, comparison of adult children in shared and separate households show having significantly greater activity restriction but less relationship strain. These findings have implications for the delivery of social services, specifically for targeting health monitoring, respite, and family counseling services. Read more
Symptoms of Mental Impairment Among Elderly Adults and Their Effects on Family Caregivers Research that has examined the relationship between caregiving stress and elders’ symptoms of mental impairment has focused primarily on cognitive incapacity. This research expands the symptoms of mental impairment to include caregivers’ reports of problems in elders’ social functioning and the presence of disruptive behavior, in addition to the traditional measure of cognitive incapacity. Results from a study of 614 families living with and caring for an impaired elder show cognitive incapacity to have a less important direct effect on caregiving stress than disruptive behavior and impaired social functioning. Cognitive incapacity does have an important indirect effect through its influence on disruptive behavior and social functioning. Read more
Caregiving for the Elderly Recognizing Your Strengths and Resources This booklet is designed to assist family caregivers in identifying the strengths and resources that may enable them to avoid the stress often associated with caring for an ill or disabled relative. Because it focuses on the emotional and social aspects of caregiving, rather than on how to perform specific tasks or activities, this booklet is distinct from many other publications. It is also different because the primary source of information comes from research findings. The issues discussed reflect the feelings of over 150 family members who care for an ill parent or spouse. We hope their experiences will help you better understand your own situation so that you can effectively care for your relative and, at the same time, take care of yourself. Read more
Characteristics of Hospice Patients and Their Caregivers This study describes selected characteristics of a group of terminal patients who were enrolled in a home-based hospice program. Similar characteristics of the patients' primary caregivers also are described. Relationships between the characteristics of patients and caregivers are examined, as are relationships between these characteristics and the rate at which various services were utilized. Implications for hospice service delivery and for future hospice research are explored. Read more
The needs of hospice patients and primary caregivers While much has been written about the needs of terminally ill patients and of those who provide care for them, little empirical research has addressed this issue. Such research is required to enable hospice programs to evaluate the extent to which they are meeting their goals and to develop adequate programs of care. For this study, a list of ten need categories for patients and five need categories for primary caregivers were developed out of a review of relevant literature. Primary caregivers and nurses were asked to rank the importance of these needs for patients and for caregivers. There was a high degree of congruence between the rankings of caregivers and nurses at the beginning of hospice care; A second measure taken after the patient’s death showed that the level of congruence increased over the course of hospice treatment. Read more
