Needs of caregivers of elderly attending day hospital.

A mailed questionnaire was used to assess the time demands and relative stress burden of tasks performed by caregivers to patients attending a geriatric day hospital. Eighty per cent (43 of 54) of the questionnaires were completed. Most (84%) of caregivers were women, and 38% were older than 65 years of age. Fifty-three per cent of care receivers were women; 54% were 80 years of age or older. Most care receivers were related to the caregiver, and 84% lived with them. Activities causing the most stress to caregivers were bathing, bladder control, walking about the home, and travelling outside the home. A significant number of caregivers did not have access to alternate caregivers for relief during the day (18%) or night (26%), or for a weekend (28%) or a week (40%). Sixty-eight per cent of caregivers felt some mental strain as a result of their caregiver role.