ABSTRACT

Researchers are continuing to focus on the nature and sources of burden of family caregivers of persons living with dementia. Caregiving stress and burden are assessed and addressed by social workers, including at high-risk times such as hospitalization. This study tested whether adult-child family caregivers experience greater perceived burden than spousal caregivers, accounting for risks of acute stress which can accompany hospitalization for their care recipient, where social workers may be meeting with family caregivers for the first time. Family caregivers (N = 76; n = 42 adult-child; n = 34 spouse) were recruited during care-recipient clinical treatment. The settings of care included an outpatient memory care program and an inpatient geriatric psychiatry service. Results showed that adult-child caregivers reported greater burden as compared with spousal caregivers, but no differences regarding depressive symptoms, perceived stress, or grief. After controlling for demographics and location of care, being an adult-child caregiver remained a predictor of greater burden severity. Being an adult-child family caregiver may place an individual at increased risk for experiencing high burden. These findings suggest socials workers should consider how adult-child caregivers may benefit from strategies to address and reduce burden, beyond those typically offered to spousal caregivers.

摘要

研究人员正在继续关注痴呆症患者的家庭照顾者负担的性质和来源。护理压力和负担由社会工作者评估和解决，包括在住院等高风险时期。这项研究测试了成年子女家庭照料者是否比配偶照料者承受更大的感知负担，并考虑到护理接受者住院期间可能出现的急性压力风险，因为社会工作者可能是第一次与家庭照料者会面。家庭护理人员（N = 76；n = 42 名成人儿童；n = 34 配偶）在接受护理者的临床治疗期间被招募。护理环境包括门诊记忆护理计划和住院老年精神病学服务。结果表明，与配偶照顾者相比，成年儿童照顾者报告的负担更大，但在抑郁症状、感知压力或悲伤方面没有差异。在控制了人口统计数据和护理地点后，作为一名成年儿童看护者仍然是更大负担严重程度的预测指标。作为成人和儿童的家庭照料者可能会增加个人承受高负担的风险。这些研究结果表明，社会工作者应该考虑成年儿童照料者如何从解决和减轻负担的策略中受益，而不是通常提供给配偶照料者的策略。作为一名成年儿童看护者仍然是负担更严重程度的预测指标。作为成人和儿童的家庭照料者可能会增加个人承受高负担的风险。这些研究结果表明，社会工作者应该考虑成年儿童照顾者如何从解决和减轻负担的策略中受益，而不是通常提供给配偶照顾者的策略。作为一名成年儿童照料者仍然是负担更严重的预测因素。作为成人和儿童的家庭照料者可能会增加个人承受高负担的风险。这些研究结果表明，社会工作者应该考虑成年儿童照顾者如何从解决和减轻负担的策略中受益，而不是通常提供给配偶照顾者的策略。