LONELINESS AND DEPRESSION IN CAREGIVERS OF PERSONS WITH ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE OR RELATED DISORDERS

Authors: Beeson R.¹; Horton-Deutsch S.²; Farran C.³; Neundorfer M.⁴

Source: Issues in Mental Health Nursing, Volume 21, Number 8, 1 December 2000 , pp. 779-806(28)

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Abstract:

Secondary analysis of data from a sample of 242 husbands, wives, and daughters providing care for Alzheimer's disease family members was conducted to examine the relationships among loneliness and depression and the following variables: quality of the past relationship, relational deprivation, quality of the current relationship, and distance felt due to caregiving. Loneliness was significantly related to depression (r=.66, p<.001), relational deprivation (r=.36, p<.001), and quality of the current relationship (r=.34, p<.001), indicating that the more loneliness reported by the caregivers, the more the caregiver experienced depression, relational deprivation, and a poorer quality of the current relationship. Significant gender differences were found with the caregiving wives and daughters reporting higher mean scores than caregiving husbands on relational deprivation, loneliness, and depression. Loneliness was the only variable significant for predicting depression in caregiving husbands, wives, and daughters. In order for loneliness and depression to be addressed in Alzheimer's disease caregivers, they must first be recognised by nurses.

Language: English

Document Type: Research article

Affiliations: 1: University of Akron 2: Indiana University 3: Rush University 4: University Alzheimer Center, University Hospitals of Cleveland/Case Western Reserve University

Publication date: 2000-12-01

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