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Psychological well-being over time among informal caregivers caring for persons with dementia living at home

Lethin, Connie LU orcid ; Renom-Guiteras, Anna ; Zwakhalen, Sandra ; Soto-Martin, Maria ; Saks, Kai ; Zabalegui, Adelaida ; Challis, David J. ; Nilsson, Christer LU and Karlsson, Staffan LU (2017) In Aging & Mental Health 21(11). p.1138-1146
Abstract

Objectives: To investigate informal caregivers’ psychological well-being and predicted increase in psychological well-being, when caring for persons with dementia (PwDs) living at home, related to caregiver, PwD and formal care (FC) factors. Method: A cohort study at baseline and 3 months’ follow-up in eight European countries. Caregivers included (n = 1223) were caring for PwDs aged ≥ 65 years at home. Data on caregivers, PwDs and FC were collected using standardized instruments. Regression analysis of factors associated with caregiver psychological well-being at baseline and 3 months later was performed. Results: Factors associated with caregiver psychological well-being at baseline were positive experience of caregiving, low... (More)

Objectives: To investigate informal caregivers’ psychological well-being and predicted increase in psychological well-being, when caring for persons with dementia (PwDs) living at home, related to caregiver, PwD and formal care (FC) factors. Method: A cohort study at baseline and 3 months’ follow-up in eight European countries. Caregivers included (n = 1223) were caring for PwDs aged ≥ 65 years at home. Data on caregivers, PwDs and FC were collected using standardized instruments. Regression analysis of factors associated with caregiver psychological well-being at baseline and 3 months later was performed. Results: Factors associated with caregiver psychological well-being at baseline were positive experience of caregiving, low caregiver burden, high quality of life (QoL) for caregivers, male gender of PwD, high QoL of PwD, few neuropsychiatric symptoms and depressive symptoms for the PwD. At follow-up, caregivers with increased psychological well-being experienced of quality of care (QoC) higher and were more often using dementia specific service. Predicting factors for caregivers’ increased psychological well-being were less caregiver burden, positive experience of caregiving, less supervision of the PwD and higher caregiver QoL, if PwD were male, had higher QoL and less neuropsychiatric symptoms. Furthermore, higher QoC predicted increased caregivers’ psychological well-being. Conclusion: Informal caregiving for PwDs living at home is a complex task. Our study shows that caregivers’ psychological well-being was associated with, among other things, less caregiver burden and higher QoL. Professionals should be aware of PwD neuropsychiatric symptoms that might affect caregivers’ psychological well-being, and provide proper care and treatment for caregivers and PwDs.

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author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
adaptation, caregivers, Dementia, health professionals, home care services, psychological
in
Aging & Mental Health
volume
21
issue
11
pages
1138 - 1146
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • scopus:84979997852
  • pmid:27463390
  • wos:000417406800004
ISSN
1360-7863
DOI
10.1080/13607863.2016.1211621
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
4f44129a-eb72-47c9-87fd-dc3cfcdd43ad
date added to LUP
2016-08-31 15:28:40
date last changed
2024-11-17 05:54:05
@article{4f44129a-eb72-47c9-87fd-dc3cfcdd43ad,
  abstract     = {{<p>Objectives: To investigate informal caregivers’ psychological well-being and predicted increase in psychological well-being, when caring for persons with dementia (PwDs) living at home, related to caregiver, PwD and formal care (FC) factors. Method: A cohort study at baseline and 3 months’ follow-up in eight European countries. Caregivers included (n = 1223) were caring for PwDs aged ≥ 65 years at home. Data on caregivers, PwDs and FC were collected using standardized instruments. Regression analysis of factors associated with caregiver psychological well-being at baseline and 3 months later was performed. Results: Factors associated with caregiver psychological well-being at baseline were positive experience of caregiving, low caregiver burden, high quality of life (QoL) for caregivers, male gender of PwD, high QoL of PwD, few neuropsychiatric symptoms and depressive symptoms for the PwD. At follow-up, caregivers with increased psychological well-being experienced of quality of care (QoC) higher and were more often using dementia specific service. Predicting factors for caregivers’ increased psychological well-being were less caregiver burden, positive experience of caregiving, less supervision of the PwD and higher caregiver QoL, if PwD were male, had higher QoL and less neuropsychiatric symptoms. Furthermore, higher QoC predicted increased caregivers’ psychological well-being. Conclusion: Informal caregiving for PwDs living at home is a complex task. Our study shows that caregivers’ psychological well-being was associated with, among other things, less caregiver burden and higher QoL. Professionals should be aware of PwD neuropsychiatric symptoms that might affect caregivers’ psychological well-being, and provide proper care and treatment for caregivers and PwDs.</p>}},
  author       = {{Lethin, Connie and Renom-Guiteras, Anna and Zwakhalen, Sandra and Soto-Martin, Maria and Saks, Kai and Zabalegui, Adelaida and Challis, David J. and Nilsson, Christer and Karlsson, Staffan}},
  issn         = {{1360-7863}},
  keywords     = {{adaptation; caregivers; Dementia; health professionals; home care services; psychological}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{11}},
  pages        = {{1138--1146}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Aging & Mental Health}},
  title        = {{Psychological well-being over time among informal caregivers caring for persons with dementia living at home}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/11627573/Taylor_Francis_Lethin_et_al.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/13607863.2016.1211621}},
  volume       = {{21}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}