STRESSOR, BURDEN AND SUPPORTS NEEDED BY THE CAREGIVERS OF THE ELDERLY WITH DEPRESSIVE DISORDERS

Abstract

Objective: To study stress, care burden, support needs, and relationship between factors related to the stress and care burden of caregivers in elderly depression.   Material and Methods: This research used combined methods, which was divide into 2 steps. The first process was data collection from questionnaire and evaluation form in order to study stress, care burden and relationships. The second process was the interview in order to investigate the support needs. The sample consisted of 92 caregivers in charge of caring elderly patients diagnosed with depressive disorder at Somdet Chaopraya Institute of Psychiatric. Research Instruments included a questionnaire to obtain the patients and caregivers’ demographic data, a stress assessment form a caregiver burden assessment form and semi-structured questions addressing the caregiver’s need for supports. Data was analyzed using variables such as frequency, percentage and pearson product moment correlation coefficient.   Results: 64.9% of the caregivers were female with the average aged of 50.65 ± 14.39 years. The average of patients care was 11.43 ± 10.59 years. 60% of the cargivers felt that the patients were moderately depressed. The caregivers’ stress was moderate (mean = 36.34 ± 15.39) and a score of burden feeling was an average of 28.61 ± 12.76. The results of this study found that caregivers’ age, responsibilities for other works other than caring for patients, as well as other illnesses besides depression were associated with moderate level of stress. The caregiver’s feeling toward the patient’s symptoms, other responsibilities besides caring for the patients, abilities to carry out a daily routine and stress were associated with moderate care burden. The administrative support requirement is the need of suggestion about the care and the place where they can be aided.   Conclusion: The group of samples have a moderate stress and felt mild of care burden. Other responsibilities besides caring for the patients will affect the stress level and care burden. Stress levels are correlated to feeling of burden. The administrative support requirement the need of suggestion about the care and the place where they can be aided. Therefore, providing care or guidance to caregivers not only to reduces the stress on care but also mitigate the feeling of care burden. By this solution, the number of elderly depressive disorders neglected by caregivers would be declined.