Data to accompany: The development of a quality of life scale for informal carers for older adults.

Data to accompany: The development of a quality of life scale for informal carers for older adults. (Zipped file)Published in: Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine.AbstractBackground. The aim of the study was to develop a multi-dimensional quality of life instrument suitable for use among individuals across cultures who have an informal care role for older persons.Methods. Participants were informal carers of older adults in the UK (n=308), USA (n=164), and China (n=131). We carried out exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of 61 items derived from the eight-factor Adult Carers Quality of Life questionnaire with newly added items to define both traditional and non-traditional informal care roles.Results. Findings suggest a 24-item quality of life scale with a six-factor structure to caring for older adults that assesses (1) exhaustion, (2) adoption of a traditional carer role, (3) personal growth, (4) management and performance, (5) level of support, and (6) financial matters.Conclusion. We present a new scale to assess the multi-dimensional aspects of quality of life among those caring for older adults.