Responses of elderly spouse caregivers.

In this paper three categories of variables were identified to predict spouses' reactions to caregiving roles: patient characteristics, the caregiving environment, and characteristics of the caregiver. Measures of these variables were administered to 159 spouse caregivers. Four domains of caregivers' responses were identified: negative emotional reactions, feelings of responsibility for the patient, feelings of abandonment by family, and impact of caregiving on daily schedules. These domains were influenced most by patient negative behaviors, physical health, and age, and by caregiver age, employment, and emotional status. Amount of assistance, affective support, and hours of care also were predictive of spouse responses.