title: Predicting quality of life in caregivers of Alzheimer's patients: the role of support from and involvement with the religious community.
abstract: Examines the differences in caregivers of Alzheimer's patients and an age-matched comparison group on the variables of religious behavior; support and contact with the religious community; number of friends; quality of life; and well-being, and the relationship among these variables for predictors of the caregivers' quality of life. Findings included lower caregiver well-being, mental health, public religious behavior, satisfaction with church/synagogue support and contact, number of friends, support from and contact with friends, and quality of life indicators compared to comparison group subjects. Concludes that religious well-being and support from friends in the church/synagogue helps to explain a significant amount of the variance in the caregivers' well-being, health perceptions, mental health, and distress within the caregiving role.
authors.affiliation: Indiana University, School of Nursing, 1111 Middle Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA.
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Burgener
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000451:nursing*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D006701:Home Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D010327:Pastoral Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D012944:Social Support; D014481:United States