A Comprehensive Model of Factors Associated With Capability to “Live Well” for Family Caregivers of People Living With Mild-to-Moderate Dementia

Background: People with dementia and their family caregivers may face a great burden through social isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which can be manifested as various behavioral and clinical symptoms. Objective: To investigate the impacts of social isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals with dementia and their family caregivers. Methods: Two semi-structured questionnaires were applied via telephone to family caregivers of people diagnosed with dementia in three cities in Argentina, Brazil, and Chile, in order to assess clinical and behavioral changes in people with dementia and in their caregivers. Results: In general, 321 interviews were conducted. A significant decline in memory function has been reported among 53.0%of people with dementia. In addition, 31.2%of individuals with dementia felt sadder and 37.4%had increased anxiety symptoms. These symptoms of anxiety were greater in individuals with mild to moderate dementia, while symptoms of agitation were greater in individuals with severe dementia. Moreover, compulsive-obsessive behavior, hallucinations, increased forgetfulness, altered appetite, and increased difficulty in activities of daily living were reported more frequently among individuals with moderate to severe dementia. Caregivers reported feeling more tired and overwhelmed during this period and these symptoms were also influenced by the severity of dementia. Conclusion: Social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic triggered a series of negative behavioral repercussions, both for people with dementia and for their family caregivers in these three South American countries.

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Factors associated with feelings of reward during ongoing family palliative caregiving

Palliative & Supportive Care ◽

10.1017/s1478951514000145 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 505-512 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Anette Henriksson ◽

Ida Carlander ◽

Kristofer Årestedt

Keyword(s):

Palliative Care ◽

Family Caregivers ◽

Influential Factors ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Spousal Relationship ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Specialized Palliative Care ◽

Cross Sectional Design ◽

Bereaved Family ◽

Demographic Background

AbstractObjective:Of the few studies that have paid attention to feelings of reward in family palliative caregiving, most are retrospective and examine the experiences of bereaved family caregivers. Although feeling rewarded has been described as an influence that may facilitate the way family caregivers handle the caregiving situation, no study has sought to identify the factors associated with feelings of reward while providing ongoing family palliative care. The aim of this study, therefore, was to identify influential factors in feelings of reward experienced by family palliative caregivers.Method:Our study had a correlational cross-sectional design. Family caregivers (n = 125) of patients receiving specialized palliative care were consecutively recruited from four settings. These caregivers answered a questionnaire that included the Rewards of Caregiving Scale (RCS). This questionnaire included questions about demographic background and scales to measure preparedness for caregiving, feelings of hope, perceived health, and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Correlation and regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with rewards.Results:The results demonstrated that the more prepared caregivers with higher levels of hope felt more rewarded, while caregivers with higher levels of anxiety and those in a spousal relationship with the patient felt less rewarded by caregiving.Significance of results:It seems reasonable that feeling rewarded can be a significant contributor to the overall experience of providing ongoing palliative care. The situation of family caregivers has been shown to be multifaceted and complex, and such covariant factors as preparedness, anxiety, hope, and being in a spousal relationship with the patient to influence this experience.

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Factors associated with the well‐being of family caregivers of people with dementia

Psychogeriatrics ◽

10.1111/psyg.12805 ◽

2022 ◽

Author(s):

Qian Wu ◽

Yuko Yamaguchi ◽

Chieko Greiner

Keyword(s):

Family Caregivers ◽

Well Being ◽

Factors Associated ◽

People With Dementia

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Factors associated with the burden of family caregivers of elderly patients with femoral neck fracture: a cross-sectional study

Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research ◽

10.1186/s13018-020-01749-9 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Peifen Xiao ◽

Yongchun Zhou

Keyword(s):

Femoral Neck ◽

Elderly Patients ◽

Femoral Neck Fracture ◽

Family Caregivers ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Neck Fracture

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Caring for the caregiver: factors associated with the quality of life of family caregivers to palliative care patients

European Journal for Person Centered Healthcare ◽

10.5750/ejpch.v3i3.1003 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 3 (3) ◽

pp. 352

Author(s):

Macarena Quesada ◽

Manuel Madrigal ◽

Aurelio Luna ◽

Maria D Perez-Carceles

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Palliative Care ◽

Family Caregivers ◽

Care Patient ◽

Terminal Phase ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Factors Associated ◽

The Impact

Purpose: The aim was to investigate the factors associated with the quality of life (QoL) of family caregivers to palliative care patients. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted of 125 family caregivers of patients in the terminal phase of their illness and included in palliative care programs. Data were collected using WHOQOL-BREF, the socio-demographic characteristics of both caregiver and patient, clinical questions and information about caregiving. Results: The QoL of caregivers was lower than that of the national average for healthy people. Significantly lower QoL scores were obtained in the case of caregivers if they were women, over 55 years, uneducated, unemployed or the patient’s spouse. Cancer diagnosis and patients who were dependent for their Activities of Daily Living also lower caregiver QoL. The factors associated with higher caregiver QoL in each domain differed: being employed in the physical domain (OR:3.3; 95% CI:1.47-7.4), the patient receiving palliative care in hospital in the psychological domain (OR:3.05; 95% CI:1.19-7.7), a higher level of caregiver´s education in the social domain (OR:3.3; 95% CI:1.4-9.8) and caregivers between 45-55 years in the environmental domain (OR:5.4; 95% CI:1.6-9.2).Conclusion: Family caregivers of palliative care patients are highly burdened during caregiving. Characteristics of the patient and caregiver and the conditions under which care is performed, significantly affect QoL. We consider it essential to increase health professionals’ awareness of the importance of the role of the caregiver in providing services to the terminally ill, given the impact of the caregiver’s QoL on the QoL of the palliative care patient and its importance for the delivery of person-centered care at the end of life.

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