Caregiver stress: Its relation to care given older adults living in the community

A theoretical model was tested to determine the relationship between caregiver stress and the care given to older adults living in the community. Two measures of stress were correlated with the amount of assistance provided by the caregiver. Also considered was whether the elder maintained separate residence or lived together with the caregiver. The relation of stress to conflict between the caregiver and older adult was investigated, and an attempt was made to determine any differences in level of perceived stress experienced between caregivers who are reported abusers and those where abuse is not known to occur. The situational model that supports this study is based upon three factors within the caregiving relationship that have the possibility of creating a stressful situation: (1) elder factors, (2) caregiver factors, and (3) situational factors. The Caregiver Assessment instrument, a composite of several scales, was compiled by the research and used to measure several aspects related to caregiver stress. It was mailed to 207 caregivers giving assistance to older persons in the community identified as participants in a caregiving training, those who volunteered for the project, and Adult Protective Services clients who were reported abusers. Results from 89 useable questionnaires showed that caregivers experience stress as a result of their caregiving role; that stress level is significantly related to level of assistance provided; and that the amount of care is significantly greater for elders living with their caregivers than for those maintaining separate residence. Not enough data were available to test the relationship of stress to the demonstration of conflict behaviors by the caregiver, or to determine differences between caregivers known to abuse and those not know to abuse. Recommendations included another attempt to include reported abusers in the study sample, and further investigation of the other factors involved in the experience of stress