Mental Health and Sleep of Older Wife Caregivers for Spouses With Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders

Abstract

This descriptive study examined sleep and mental health variables in 37 older wife caregivers for spouses with dementia compared to 37 age-matched controls. The relationships among selected caregiving variables (behavioral problems, caregiving hours, and years of caregiving), appraisal of burden, self-reported sleep efficiency for the past week, and mental health outcomes were examined. Lazarus and Folkman's stress and coping framework guided the study. Mental health and sleep were poorer for caregivers. Caregiving and appraisal of burden variables showed direct and indirect effects on mental health. However, caregiving and appraisal of burden variables were not significant for predicting sleep efficiency. Sleep efficiency was a good predictor of mental health in this sample of wife caregivers.

Subjective Sleep, Burden, Depression, and General Health Among Caregivers of Veterans Poststroke

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Caregiver Burden

“…Its population growth rate and ''life expectancy at birth'' are 1.24 and 70. 35 years, respectively. 12 The elderly individuals constitute more than 5.1% of Iran's population 12 and it is expected to exceed 21% in 2050, respectively.…”

Renewing Everyday Hope: The Hope Experience of Family Caregivers of Persons with Dementia

“…It is well documented that family caregivers of persons with dementia experience physical, psychosocial, and spiritual stress. For example, studies with caregivers caring for dementia patients suggest that the experience of care giving can affect the physical and mental health of the caregivers (Donelan, Falik, & Deroches 2001;Fast, Eales & Keating, 2001;Gilliland & Bush, 2001;Gruenfeld et al, 2004;Willette-Murphy, Todero, Yeaworth, 2007). Physical health outcomes include a decrease in immune system response, an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure (Gilliland & Bush, 2001), and interruptions in sleep (Fast et al, 2001).…”