Influencing Factors on Care Burden among Family Caregivers for Elders with Dementia: Focusing on Family Caregivers using a Support Center for Dementia

Lim, Kyung Choon

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study aimed to explore influencing factors on care burden among family caregivers for elders with dementia living at home.
METHODS
Participants in this study were 211 family caregivers who were taking care of elders registered at a support center for dementia located in S-gu, Seoul. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple regression in SPSS WIN 23.0.
RESULTS
The care burden of family caregivers was mild to moderate (40.31±21.50) in this study. The factors influencing care burden among family caregivers for elders with dementia were the age, behavioral problems, and dependency in instrumental activities of daily living of demented elderly, in addition to the perceived health status and resting hours of family caregivers. Overall, these factors explained 46.5% of the total variability in care burden in this sample (F=13.01, p < .001).
CONCLUSION
Findings from this study suggest that the characteristics of demented elderly and family caregivers can influence care burden differently. Individually tailored strategies based on the various caregiving contexts need to be developed to reduce the level of care burden among family caregivers for elders with dementia.