Authors: Boekhorst, Selma te¹; Pot, Anne Margriet¹; Depla, Marja²; Smit, Dieneke²; Lange, Jacomine de²; Eefsting, Jan³

Source: Aging and Mental Health, Volume 12, Number 6, November 2008 , pp. 761-768(8)

Publisher: Routledge, part of the Taylor & Francis Group

Abstract:

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of group living care for people with dementia on the psychological distress of informal caregivers, compared with regular nursing home care. Method: This study had a quasi-experimental design with two measurements. 67 primary informal caregivers in 19 group living homes and 99 primary informal caregivers in seven regular nursing homes filled in a questionnaire upon admission (baseline measurement) of their relative and six months later (effect measurement). Linear and logistic regression analyses were performed on three outcomes of psychological distress - psychopathology, caregiving competence and caregiver burden. Results: There were no significant differences in caregiver competence and caregiver burden between informal caregivers of residents in group living homes and those in regular nursing homes, although there was a trend towards less psychopathology in group living homes after adjustment for confounding. Conclusion: Informal caregivers of residents in group living homes do not have less psychological distress than informal caregivers of residents in regular nursing homes. Although there was a trend towards less psychopathology in informal caregivers of group living homes, the amount of symptoms remained very high in both caregiver groups. This means that the psychological well-being of caregivers deserves the continuing attention of health care providers, also after admittance of their relative in a nursing home facility.

Keywords: Alzheimer's disease; group living vs nursing home care; primary caregiver; psychological well-being

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13607860802380615

Affiliations: 1: Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction, Program on Aging, Utrecht, The Netherlands,EMGO Institute, Nursing Home Medicine, Amsterdam, The Netherlands 2: Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction, Program on Aging, Utrecht, The Netherlands 3: EMGO Institute, Nursing Home Medicine, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Publication date: 2008-11-01

More about this publication?

• Editorial Board
• Information for Authors
• Subscribe to this Title
• ingentaconnect is not responsible for the content or availability of external websites

Related content

• In this: publication
• By this: publisher
• In this Subject: Internal Medicine ,  Neurology & Psychiatry ,  Social & Public Welfare
• By this author: Boekhorst, Selma te ;  Pot, Anne Margriet ;  Depla, Marja ;  Smit, Dieneke ;  Lange, Jacomine de ;  Eefsting, Jan

Website © Publishing Technology. Article copyright remains with the publisher, society or author(s) as specified within the article.

• Terms and conditions
• Privacy policy
• Information for advertisers