Caregivers of bedridden elderly people with senile dementia: A stress-support model

Abstract

The relation between caregiver stresses and stress relieving factors was investigated based on questionnaire data collected from 239 of 551 members in caregiver groups with bedridden and/or demented elderly in their families. A caregiver stress support model was proposed using a multifactorial analysis. Correlations among stressors (degree of help, profession of caregiver), the first evaluation of stress (burden), the second evaluation of stress (mental health: burnout, fatigue, self satisfaction), and mediation factors (social support, coping methods) were examined. It was found that burden as the first evaluation is positively affected by the degree of dementia and the age of the elderly person, and personal relations with caregiver groups and sub-caregivers provide a negative correlation. Burnout as the second evaluation is positively correlated with burden and evasive coping (emotional discharge). Fatigue is reduced by sub-caregivers, and self satisfaction increases with coping responses toward problem solving. The stress relieving effect of social support was found to partially reduce burnout, but had only a limited effect in promoting mental health. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved) (journal abstract)