title: Physical activity in caregivers: What are the psychological benefits?
abstract: Previous research demonstrates that physical activity has psychological benefits for people of all ages. However, it is unclear whether people caring for a frail or ill relative would derive similar psychological benefits, considering the potentially stressful caregiver role. This article reviews the current literature describing the effect of physical activity interventions on the psychological status of caregivers. A search from January 1975 to December 2012 identified five intervention studies investigating physical activity and psychological status in caregivers. These focused on female Caucasian caregivers who were older than 60 years. The physical activity interventions improved stress, depression and burden in caregivers, but small sample sizes, short-term follow up and varying results limited the generalizability of the findings. There were few trials investigating male caregivers, and most care-recipients were people with dementia. Studies with caregivers of different ages and gender, with a range of physical activity interventions, are needed to clarify whether physical activity has psychological benefits for caregivers.
authors.affiliation: Academic Unit for Psychiatry of Old Age, St. Vincent's Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Normanby House, St. George's Hospital, 283 Cotham Road, Kew, Victoria 3101, Australia; National Ageing Research Institute, 34-54 Poplar Road, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia. Electronic address: Samantha.loi2@svhm.org.au.
authors.forename: Samantha M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Loi
authors.affiliation: National Ageing Research Institute, 34-54 Poplar Road, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia. Electronic address: b.dow@nari.unimelb.edu.au.
authors.forename: Briony
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dow
authors.affiliation: National Ageing Research Institute, 34-54 Poplar Road, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia; National Ageing Research Institute, 34-54 Poplar Road, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia. Electronic address: dames@unimelb.edu.au.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ames
authors.affiliation: National Ageing Research Institute, 34-54 Poplar Road, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia. Electronic address: kirsten.moore@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.affiliation: School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia 6845, Australia. Electronic address: keith.hill@curtin.edu.au.
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.affiliation: Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Level 3, 207 Bouverie Street, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia. Electronic address: melissar@unimelb.edu.au.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.affiliation: Academic Unit for Psychiatry of Old Age, St. Vincent's Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Normanby House, St. George's Hospital, 283 Cotham Road, Kew, Victoria 3101, Australia; National Ageing Research Institute, 34-54 Poplar Road, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia. Electronic address: nicolatl@unimelb.edu.au.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lautenschlager
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D012737:Sex Factors
keywords: Caregivers; Exercise; Physical activity; Psychological health