A conceptual framework for understanding the process of family caregiving to frail elders in Taiwan.

This descriptive, correlational study of family caregivers (N=125) tested a conceptual framework for family caregiving to frail elders in Taiwan, using the concept of "finding a balance point" derived from a previous qualitative study. It was hypothesized that caregivers who were better able to find a balance point among competing needs would provide better-quality care to frail elders, which would lead to more positive caregiver and family outcomes. After controlling for the influence of caregiving characteristics and caregiving factors, finding a balance point significantly explained 7% of the variance in overall caregiving consequences. The findings of this study add a new perspective to the caregiving process in Taiwan. Copyright 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.