The effect of counseling services provided in rehabilitation centers on parents' caregiving burden and quality of life

Abstract

Background: The presence of person with disabilities may have a negative impact on the quality of life and caregiving responsibilities of the parent. Staff at rehabilitation centers face a variety of stressors and workloads. It is essential to implement initiatives that alleviate the caregiving burden and enhance the quality of life for parents. Objective: The study aimed to examine the effect of health promotion model based counseling services on caregiving burden and quality of life in parents of person with disabilities. Methods: This randomized control study was conducted on 110 parents in 6 Rehabilitation Centers. Parents in the experimental group were counseled, and control group were not. Caregiving burden levels were evaluated using the Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale and quality of life levels evaluated at the beginning and end of the study using the Quality of Life Scale. Results: A statistically significant difference was found in the large effect size between the ZCBS and SF-36 pre-test and post-test mean scores of the experimental group. The health promotion model based counseling service was effective in increasing parents’ quality of life and reducing caregiving burden. Conclusion: We described a high caregiving burden and low quality of life levels in parents of person with disabilities. Counseling was effective to reduce caregiving burden and increase quality of life. Education and counseling are the primary roles of nurses. An appropriate health professional, especially a public health nurse, be present during the counseling process, providing ongoing services to parents of person with disabilities.