Factors Influencing the Quality of Life among Family Caregivers of the Elderly with Dementia

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify quality of life of family caregivers and to investigate factors positively and negatively affecting family caregivers’ quality of life. Methods: Participants were 153 family caregivers taking care of dementia elderly. Collected data were general characteristics, quality of life, care burden, depression, social support, family relationship, and problematic behaviors. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multiple regression. Results: Mean age of participants was 58.70±13.88. The average scores of main variables for family relationship, social support, quality of life, care burden, problematic behaviors and depression were 3.99±1.08, 3.34±0.84, 3.00±0.63, 1.96±0.51, 1.48±1.06, 1.17±0.71 and 1.13±0.61, respectively. In regression analysis, depression (β=-.20), subjective health (β=.26), social support (β=.23), education level (β=-.20), and care burden (β=-.22) accounted for 59.1% of the variance in quality of life. Conclusion: To increase quality of life for family caregivers, interventions should be focused on reducing depression and care burden, enhancing caregiver’s health and social support. especially for family caregivers who received lower education.