Sophie Alltag1, Ines Conrad2, Steffi G Riedel-Heller2. 1. Institut für Sozialmedizin, Arbeitsmedizin und Public Health, Medizinische Fakultät, Universität Leipzig, Philipp-Rosenthal-Str. 55, 04103, Leipzig, Deutschland. sophie.alltag@medizin.uni-leipzig.de. 2. Institut für Sozialmedizin, Arbeitsmedizin und Public Health, Medizinische Fakultät, Universität Leipzig, Philipp-Rosenthal-Str. 55, 04103, Leipzig, Deutschland.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Projections revealed that the age group of 60+ years will increase to 1.4 billion people worldwide by 2030. Germany is affected by the demographic change with an increase in people suffering from dementia and a substantial proportion will be cared for by informal caregivers. Quality of life (QOL) is of utmost importance for the stability of domestic care arrangements. OBJECTIVES: This review aimed at collecting and analyzing articles on the association between burden of care and QOL in older informal caregivers of people with dementia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted in the databases Web of Science and PubMed. German and English papers were considered. RESULTS: Caregiver burden, health-related characteristics of the informal caregiver, dementia-related characteristics, sociodemographics and contextual factors were significantly negatively associated with informal caregivers' QOL. Support arrangements in order to relieve caregivers were rarely utilized. CONCLUSION: Despite different methods of analysis and instruments used, consistent results regarding the association between caregiver burden and QOL in older informal caregivers were found. The existence of a care situation already negatively influenced the caregivers' QOL. Especially older informal caregivers require special support.
BACKGROUND: Projections revealed that the age group of 60+ years will increase to 1.4 billion people worldwide by 2030. Germany is affected by the demographic change with an increase in people suffering from dementia and a substantial proportion will be cared for by informal caregivers. Quality of life (QOL) is of utmost importance for the stability of domestic care arrangements. OBJECTIVES: This review aimed at collecting and analyzing articles on the association between burden of care and QOL in older informal caregivers of people with dementia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted in the databases Web of Science and PubMed. German and English papers were considered. RESULTS: Caregiver burden, health-related characteristics of the informal caregiver, dementia-related characteristics, sociodemographics and contextual factors were significantly negatively associated with informal caregivers' QOL. Support arrangements in order to relieve caregivers were rarely utilized. CONCLUSION: Despite different methods of analysis and instruments used, consistent results regarding the association between caregiver burden and QOL in older informal caregivers were found. The existence of a care situation already negatively influenced the caregivers' QOL. Especially older informal caregivers require special support.
Entities:
Keywords:
Demographic change; Relatives; Relief; Review; Support interventions
Authors: Patrick Janson; Kristina Willeke; Lisa Zaibert; Andrea Budnick; Anne Berghöfer; Sarah Kittel-Schneider; Peter U Heuschmann; Andreas Zapf; Manfred Wildner; Carolin Stupp; Thomas Keil Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-05-11 Impact factor: 4.614