Individual quality of life factors distinguishing low-burden and high-burden caregivers of dementia patients.
Dementia patient (n = 72) and caregiver characteristics and individual quality of life (IQoL) factors distinguishing low- and high-burden caregivers were evaluated. Measures included patient cognitive, functional and behavioural status, and caregiver burden, well-being, social support appraisal and IQoL. The caregivers were divided by median split into low- and high-burden groups. In the high-burden group daughters were over-represented, psychological morbidity was higher, QoL was lower, the patients were more behaviourally disturbed, and there was a trend towards more negative appraisal of informal social support. Of the many QoL factors elicited from caregivers, only 'time for self' and 'finances' differed significantly between the groups. A need for more time away from the patient is a major QoL concern for highly burdened caregivers, and a perceived lack of adequate informal support and/or financial constraints are contributory factors.
Coen
Robert F
RF
Mercer's Institute for Research on Ageing, St. James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland. rcoen@stjames.ie
O'Boyle
Ciaran A
CA
Coakley
Davis
D
Lawlor
Brian A
BA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003704:Dementia / Q000523:psychology*; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life