Formal long-term care: Informal caregivers’ subjective well-being and service utilization

Abstract

This thesis aimed to elucidate the role of informal caregiver subjective well-being in explaining formal long-term care service (LTCS) use. A systematic review and meta-analysis of literature found that elevated caregiver burden, caregiver depression, and poorer caregiver health status are associated with increased formal LTCS use. Quantitative analyses of longitudinal data collected from stroke survivors and their caregivers revealed that increased caregiving burden and caregiver depression are prospective and concurrent predictors of stroke rehabilitation use at 12-month post-stroke, and that non-distressed caregivers at 3-month post-stroke and 12-month post-stroke are likely to have cared for stroke rehabilitation users at 12-month post-stroke.