TY - JOUR
T1 - Psychological well-being of informal caregivers of elderly people with dementia
T2 - Changes over time
AU - Pot, A. M.
AU - Deeg, D. J.H.
AU - Van Dyck, R.
PY - 1997/1/1
Y1 - 1997/1/1
N2 - Psychological well-being of caregivers of demented elderly people was investigated during two years of follow-up. Three groups of caregivers were distinguished: those providing care for two years after baseline; those whose care-recipient died within the first year after baseline, and those whose care-recipient was institutionalized within the first year. Compared to general population norms, all groups of caregivers showed a great amount of psychological distress, especially those whose elder suffering from dementia deceased within the first year after baseline. The course of psychological well-being of caregivers who continued to provide care during follow-up supported the wear-and-tear model: an overall deterioration of psychological well-being was found (measured by the GHQ-12, SCL-90-R and SWLS) as elders' functioning declined and caregiving at home continued. Specific increases were found on total amount of psychological distress, but also on the SCL-90-R subscales: Depression, Anxiety, Interpersonal Sensitivity and Paranoid Ideation and Difficulty with Cognitive Performance. No overall changes were found for caregivers whose demented care-recipient had died or was institutionalized in the first year after baseline. These data suggest that the high level of psychological distress and the deterioration in psychological well-being among informal caregivers of dementia patients is a reason to reconsider the merits of the current trend to have demented older people live on their own as long as possible. Additional support should be considered.
AB - Psychological well-being of caregivers of demented elderly people was investigated during two years of follow-up. Three groups of caregivers were distinguished: those providing care for two years after baseline; those whose care-recipient died within the first year after baseline, and those whose care-recipient was institutionalized within the first year. Compared to general population norms, all groups of caregivers showed a great amount of psychological distress, especially those whose elder suffering from dementia deceased within the first year after baseline. The course of psychological well-being of caregivers who continued to provide care during follow-up supported the wear-and-tear model: an overall deterioration of psychological well-being was found (measured by the GHQ-12, SCL-90-R and SWLS) as elders' functioning declined and caregiving at home continued. Specific increases were found on total amount of psychological distress, but also on the SCL-90-R subscales: Depression, Anxiety, Interpersonal Sensitivity and Paranoid Ideation and Difficulty with Cognitive Performance. No overall changes were found for caregivers whose demented care-recipient had died or was institutionalized in the first year after baseline. These data suggest that the high level of psychological distress and the deterioration in psychological well-being among informal caregivers of dementia patients is a reason to reconsider the merits of the current trend to have demented older people live on their own as long as possible. Additional support should be considered.
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U2 - 10.1080/13607869757164
DO - 10.1080/13607869757164
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0001758201
VL - 1
SP - 261
EP - 268
JO - Aging and Mental Health
JF - Aging and Mental Health
SN - 1360-7863
IS - 3
ER -