The emotional ramifications of unmet need in dementia caregiving.
Using a unique measure of unmet need that taps into several dimensions of informal long-term care, the present study included data from 694 informal caregivers of persons suffering from dementia at different times in the caregiving career (e.g., at home, following institutionalization, following the death of the care recipient). Multivariate regression models found that unmet need for either confidante or formal support had key implications for caregivers' emotional distress in each of the care situations. The findings suggest that conceptual models should incorporate unmet need as a viable predictor of caregiving outcomes and that assessment of unmet need may provide guidance in the development of more refined psychosocial and community-based intervention protocols.
Gaugler
Joseph E
JE
Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536-0086, USA. jgaugle@uky.edu
Anderson
Keith A
KA
Leach
M S W Corinne R
MS
Smith
Charles D
CD
Schmitt
Frederick A
FA
Mendiondo
Marta
M
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D001601:Bereavement; D017028:Caregivers; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care; D010166:Palliative Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires