The Effect of Caregiver Burden on Depression of Dementia Family Caregivers： The Moderating Role of Perceived Public Support

Nowadays, there are plenty of programs and resources to prevent caregiver burden of patients with Alzheimer’s disease. In spite of that, many caregivers suffer high levels of burden and stress, which leads to an earlier institutionalization of patients. This study aimed to explore the predictors of burden in relative caregivers of patients attending day-care centers and the moderating role of caregiver kinship in these associations. A sample of a hundred and two patient–caregiver dyads was recruited. Burden was measured with a Zarit Burden Interview. Measures of patients’ cognition, insight, depression, behavioral disturbances, functional ability and overall physical health were considered as predictors. We found that apathy, irritability and delusions and, patients’ mobility are the main determinants of caregivers’ burden. The strength of relationship between delusions and irritability was higher in spouse caregivers. Interventions to reduce burden should be adapted to the specific needs of a particular type caregiver.

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FAMILY CAREGIVERS’ RESPONSES TO DAILY BEHAVIORAL SYMPTOMS OF DEMENTIA: THE MODERATING ROLE OF RELATIONSHIP QUALITY

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.2210 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S595-S595

Author(s):

Richard E Chunga ◽

Yin Liu ◽

Kyungmin Kim ◽

Steven H Zarit

Keyword(s):

Relationship Quality ◽

Family Caregivers ◽

Stress Responses ◽

Multilevel Models ◽

Psychological Symptoms ◽

Behavioral Symptoms ◽

Dyadic Relationship ◽

Moderating Role ◽

Behavioral And Psychological Symptoms

Abstract Providing care for persons with dementia (PWD) is frequently regarded as highly stressful, but how caregivers perceive care-related stressors depends on a variety of contexts. Research has demonstrated that relationship quality between the caregiver and receiver – as an important dyadic context – can influence the magnitude of this perceived distress. Using 8-day diary data from 173 family caregivers of PWD (day N = 1,359), this study examined the moderating effect of relationship quality on caregivers’ stress responses to daily behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), comparing within- and between-person effects. Multilevel models suggested differences in the association between BPSD occurrence and perceived distress of BPSD (i.e., negative within-person association, but positive between-person association). However, we found that both associations were moderated by relationship quality; that is, better dyadic relationship quality seemed to be protective against distress at both within- and between-person levels.

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Caregiver Burden and Depression Among Chinese Family Caregivers: the Role of Self-compassion

Mindfulness ◽

10.1007/s12671-020-01378-7 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (7) ◽

pp. 1647-1654 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Shuo Xu ◽

Huiping Zhang ◽

Jingxin Wang

Keyword(s):

Family Caregivers ◽

Caregiver Burden ◽

Chinese Family ◽

Self Compassion

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Social support and depressive symptoms among family caregivers of older people with disabilities in four provinces of urban China: the mediating role of caregiver burden

BMC Geriatrics ◽

10.1186/s12877-019-1403-9 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Yaqin Zhong ◽

Jian Wang ◽

Stephen Nicholas

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Older People ◽

Family Caregivers ◽

Caregiver Burden ◽

People With Disabilities ◽

Cognitive Capacity ◽

Chinese Family ◽

Negatively Associated

Abstract Background To examine the relationship between social support and depressive symptoms of Chinese family caregivers of older people with disabilities, and to evaluate the role of caregiver burden as a potential mediator of that relationship. Methods A survey questionnaire was completed face-to-face by 567 primary family caregivers of older people with disabilities in four provinces in China. Covariates that may affect depressive symptoms, such as the characteristics of disabled people (socio-economic factors, functional and cognitive capacity) and caregivers (caregiver duration and self-rated health of caregivers) were collected. Social support was measured by the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS); depressive symptoms were assessed by the shortened 10 item version of Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale (CES-D); and the caregiver burden was assessed by the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI). Results The prevalence of depressive symptoms among caregivers was 37.7%. Higher levels of social support was negatively associated with lower depressive symptoms. This relationship was partially mediated by the caregiver burden, where higher levels of the caregiver burden were negatively associated with depressive symptoms. Furthermore, caregivers who were women, spent extended time in caregiving and were in poor health, reported significantly higher depressive symptoms. Conclusions Our results indicated that social support was negatively associated with depressive symptoms in family caregivers and in the caregiver burden. The caregiver burden partially mediated the social support-depressive symptoms association. Interventions for family caregivers should include increasing social support, health monitoring and structured interventions to reduce the caregiver burden and attenuate family caregivers’ depressive symptoms.

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