title: The willingness to continue caring in family supporters of older people.
abstract: Research has revealed the importance of characteristics of the supporter, the care-recipient, and circumstances of caregiving in the success or failure of community-based care of older people. The Dundee Study of Carers and Dementia examined factors associated with the maintenance and care of older people in the community, and with the impact of dementia on family supporters. Two hundred and twenty-eight family supporters of community-resident older people (>/=65) (50% with dementia, 50% without, matched for age and sex) were interviewed. Supporters' responses to their relative's condition and circumstances, their ways of coping with stressful caregiving problems, and their willingness to continue their caregiving role, were assessed. Findings indicated that willingness to care and stress were associated in different ways with the supporter's response to his/her relative. Coping was found to be significantly associated with stress, response to relative, and willingness to care in only three out of a total of 45 tests. Willingness to care was positively associated with the coping behaviour internalization. The findings are discussed in the context of developing interventions for improving the well-being of supporters of an older relative in the community.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Ageing and Rehabilitation Studies, University of Sheffield, UK; Chamberlain Consultants, Chamberlain Road, Edinburgh; Department of Applied Social Studies, University of Paisley, UK; Royal Dundee Liff Hospital, Dundee, UK; Lanarkshire Health Board, UK; Medicine for the Elderly, Ashludie Hospital, Dundee, UK and the; Centre for Ageing and Rehabilitation Studies, University of Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: Kevin J.
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: McKee
authors.forename: Janice E.
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Whittick
authors.forename: Mary M. L.
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Gilhooly
authors.forename: Brian R.
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Ballinger
authors.forename: David S.
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: William J.
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Mutch
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Philp