Abstract

Objectives

Dementia caregiver burden is a significant public health concern, affecting both the wellbeing of caregivers and their care-recipients. This study investigated a range of variables associated with caregiver burden in a large sample of UK dementia caregivers. Clinical characteristics and novel psychological constructs were used – including anticipatory grief and psychological resilience. Anticipatory grief refers to the process of experiencing loss prior to the death of a significant person.

Method

Caregivers of persons with dementia (N = 530) completed a survey obtaining the Zarit-Burden Interview (ZBI-SF) and other psychological and demographic/caregiving-related factors.

Results

Findings illustrate that 71% of the sample experienced high levels of caregiver burden and around 95% met the criteria for clinically significant levels of burden. A regression model explained 49% of the variance in subjective caregiver burden; contextual factors (care-recipients living situation, frequency of caregiving), behavioural challenges in the care-recipient (memory-related problem behaviours), caregiver psychological resilience and caregiver anticipatory grief (heartfelt long & sadness, worry & felt isolation) were all significant variables. Caregiver anticipatory grief, followed by psychological resilience, had the strongest association with burden

Conclusion

Caregiver anticipatory grief and psychological resilience, have a significant interaction with the clinical presentation of the dementia sufferer in explaining subjective caregiver burden. More grief and resilience-focused interventions targeting both the practical and emotional challenges are imperative to reduce burden and thus to ensure caregiver wellbeing.

中文翻译：

---

解释英国痴呆症护理人员大样本中的护理负担：背景因素、行为问题、心理弹性和预期悲伤的作用

摘要

目标

痴呆症照顾者的负担是一个重大的公共卫生问题，影响着照顾者及其被照顾者的福祉。这项研究调查了英国痴呆症护理人员大样本中与护理负担相关的一系列变量。使用了临床特征和新颖的心理结构——包括预期悲伤和心理弹性。预期性悲伤是指在重要人物去世之前经历损失的过程。

方法

痴呆症患者的护理人员 ( N  = 530) 完成了一项调查，获得了 Zarit-Burden 访谈 (ZBI-SF) 和其他心理和人口统计/护理相关因素。

结果

调查结果表明，71% 的样本经历了高水平的护理人员负担，约 95% 的样本符合临床显着负担水平的标准。回归模型解释了 49% 的主观看护者负担差异；情境因素（被护理者的生活状况、护理频率）、被护理者的行为挑战（与记忆相关的问题行为）、护理者的心理弹性和护理者的预期悲伤（由衷的漫长和悲伤、担忧和感到孤立）都很重要变量。照顾者的预期悲伤，其次是心理弹性，与负担的关联最强

结论

在解释主观照顾者负担时，照顾者的预期悲伤和心理弹性与痴呆症患者的临床表现有显着的相互作用。必须针对实际和情感挑战采取更多以悲伤和恢复力为重点的干预措施，以减轻负担，从而确保护理人员的福祉。