Korean J Women Health Nurs.  2008 Dec;14(4):278-289. 10.4069/kjwhn.2008.14.4.278.

A Study of Care Burden, Burnout, and Quality of Life among Family Caregivers for the Elderly

• Joo KB
• Kim KB

• KMID: 2307982
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4069/kjwhn.2008.14.4.278

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study was a survey to provide basic data about nursing interventions for improving the quality of life among family caregivers for the elderly by examining their care burden, burnout, and quality of life, and by confirming the correlation between each of them. METHOD: The subjects were 215 people in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province who understood the purpose of this study and participated voluntarily from April 1 to June 4, 2007. Data was analyzed by the SAS program. RESULT: 1. Concerning primary caregivers of the elderly, it was found that their care burden was slightly high, burnout was high and quality of life was good on the whole. 2. When it comes to the correlation among care burden, burnout, and quality of life among family caregivers, it was found that burnout increases in proportion to care burden, quality of life decreases as care burden increases, and bigger burnout leads to a lower quality of life.
CONCLUSION
The quality of life among primary caregivers should be improved by reducing their care burden and burnout. Thereby, a priority might be considered for admission to nearby, comfortable nursing homes or failing that, home visiting services, rather than family support in the home.

Keyword

Aged; Caregiver; Burden; Burnout; Quality of life

MeSH Terms

Aged
Caregivers
House Calls
Humans
Nursing Homes
Phenothiazines
Quality of Life
Phenothiazines

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