title: Psychological aspects of lay caregiving.
abstract: Caregiving is an extremely demanding task that frequently takes a toll on lay caregivers. Furthermore, the psychological aspects of caregiving are frequently overlooked. To study this issue, a nurse surveyor conducted an informal nonscientific survey of 68 lay caregivers over a 14-month period. An interview process was used to obtain information. Those who were surveyed identified depression, powerlessness, role strain, guilt, and grief as the psychological aspects most frequently related to the caregiving experience. This information can be used to initiate nursing care plans, assessments, and interventions. It is vital for the healthcare community to recognize the needs of lay caregivers. Training programs must be implemented and other support and resources should be available so that the needs and issues of lay caregivers can be dealt with effectively.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Ruppert
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000451:nursing*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009733:Nursing Diagnosis; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires