Health and Quality of Life of Family and Professional Caregivers of Dependent Elderly: A Comparative Study

Abstract

The work presented aims to analyze the similarities and differences in health and quality of life of family caregivers and professionals serving seniors in a position of dependency. Specifically, the results presented were obtained from the evaluation of 600 caregivers, of which 33.83% are family and 66.17% are professionals, to determine their burden or stress experienced, as well as their physical and psychological health and their overall, work, family and social quality of life. The results indicate that there are differences between the two groups of caregivers. The family caregivers have higher levels of overload and have poorer physical and psychological health as a result of their tasks. Professional caregivers experience greater satisfaction with life in general and in other factors such as work, family and social relationships. Finally, this justifies the need to implement interventions to improve the health of caregivers.

Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview: Psychometric Properties in Family Caregivers of People with Intellectual Disabilities

“…Depending on the level of dependency, the person with ID requires the permanent support of a caregiver [13]. However, caring for a dependent may negatively impact mental health [14].…”

Relationship Matters in Dementia Caregiving: A Comparative Study in West Bengal, India

“…Caring for a demented individual is difficult because it is time-consuming and requires extensive support. It is possible that caregivers may have to sacrifice other aspects of their lives such as work, social interaction, leisure and so on to take care of their loved ones (Badia et al, 2004;Flores et al, 2014).…”