Search results for ‘Subject term:"older people"’ Sort:
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A psychosocial perspective on chronic pain and depression in the elderly
- Author:
- ROY R.
- Journal article citation:
- Social Work in Health Care, 12(2), 1986, pp.27-49.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Argues that social work can play an effective role in alleviating distress.
The effects of caregiver emotional stress on the depressive symptomatology of the care recipient
- Authors:
- EJEM Deborah B., DENTATO Michael P., CLAY Olivio J.
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 19(1), 2014, pp.55-62.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Objectives: Previous research widely neglects caregiver emotional stress as a probable contributing factor of depression in older people. Using the life stress paradigm as the theoretical foundation, this study investigates caregiver emotional stress as a chronic life stressor of an elderly care recipient. Methods: The relationships between caregiver emotional stress and care receiver depressive symptoms, as well as other social and psychological mediation factors, were investigated using the 2004 wave of the National Long-Term Care Study (NLTCS). The NLTCS is a nationally representative longitudinal study used to identify frail and disabled elderly Medicare recipients living in the United States. The analytic sample of this study included 1340 caregiver–care receiver dyads who were asked a series of questions concerning their mental health (i.e. emotional stress and depressive symptoms), as well as the availability of social and psychological resources. Results: Overall, the results showed that high levels of emotional stress reported by the caregiver were associated with a higher likelihood of the disabled care receiver reporting depressive symptoms. Conclusion: The findings of this investigation point to the importance of studying caregivers and care receivers as dyads as the stress associated with the caregiving role affects each member. (Edited publisher abstract)
Contributing factors of depressive symptoms among elderly Korean immigrants in Texas
- Authors:
- KANG Suk-Young, BASHAM Randall, KIM Yi Jin
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 56(1), 2013, pp.67-82.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Korean Americans are one of the fastest growing ethnic groups in the United States. The number of elderly Korean immigrants living in Texas (aged 65 years and older) increased 242%, from 868 in 1990 to 2,104 in 2000. This study examined various life stresses associated with relocation that may contribute to depressive symptoms among Korean immigrant elders. A sample of 120 elders was assessed using the Geriatric Depression Scale–Short Form and a 90-min face-to-face interview. Participants were receiving about three types of assistances from their children. Almost 1 out of 10 respondents had at least one child living within a 2 hour driving distance. In addition, most (80%) watched television for leisure and their English proficiency level was low. Findings revealed that over a third of respondents had symptoms of depression. Analyses indicate that self-rated health, stressful life events, English language proficiency, satisfaction of visiting one's birth place, and watching TV were correlates of depressive symptoms among them. The findings of this observational study may be used as a baseline for designing service programme for this population.
Cognitive, functional and behavioral factors associated with the burden of caring for geriatric patients with cognitive impairment or depression: evidence from a South American sample
- Authors:
- MACHNICKI Gerard, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 24(4), April 2009, pp.382-389.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Primary caregivers assessed were included if the geriatric patient cared for had a cognitive impairment or dementia (degenerative, vascular or mixed) (Group 1) or depression and cerebrovascular disease (CVD) (Group 2). Caregivers completed the Zarit questionnaire, the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL). Patients were evaluated for dementia severity using the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR), Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to assess measurement models and the factors associated with burden. Two hundred and fifty-eight caregiver-patient pairs were included. The best model fit was obtained with a model with two constructs: function-cognition (CDR, MMSE, and IADL) and behaviour (neuropsychiatric symptoms from the NPI). In Group 1, both function and behaviour were significantly correlated with caregiver burden, although the strength of association was more than two times higher for behaviour. In Group 2, behaviour was related to caregiver burden but not function-cognition. These findings suggest that behavioural symptoms are an important factor associated with caregiver burden in patients with cognitive impairment, dementia, or depression, while functional and cognitive factors seem to also have an influence in patients with cognitive impairment.
Prevalence of depression symptoms and related risk factors for depressive symptoms among Elderly persons living in a rural Japanese community: a cross-sectional study
- Authors:
- KANEKO Yoshihiro, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Community Mental Health Journal, 43(6), December 2007, pp.583-590.
- Publisher:
- Springer
To clarify the prevalence of depression in a rural community in Japan and to evaluate the social and familial risk factors for depression, with the goal of suicide prevention, a questionnaire survey was conducted on a total of 2,763 elderly persons. The determined prevalence of depressive symptoms (Zung’s self-rated depression scale score of 50 points or more) was 10.4%. Logistic regression analysis showed associations between depressive symptoms and age, absence of a friendly companion, irritation with one’s family, frequent loneliness, the opinion that stress has a large impact on one’s life, suicide ideation, and poor subjective physical and mental health.
Determinants of satisfaction with care and emotional distress among informal carers of demented and non-demented elderly patients
- Authors:
- MAFULLUL Yakubu M., MORRISS Richard K.
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 15(7), July 2000, pp.594-599.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
In this study clinical, demographic, service and carer satisfaction variables were recorded to examine determinants of satisfaction in the caregiving role. The two variables found to be associated with greater dissatisfaction with the caregiving role were the carers overall rating of the difficulty in the caregiving role and the younger age of the carer. Results found that the caregiver's assessment of the difficulty in caregiving was associated with both carer dissatisfaction and emotional distress in the caregiving role. While emotional distress was associated with the perception that the patient could do more for themselves, carer dissatisfaction was associated with the younger age of the carer.
Living with and caring for older family members: issues related to caregiver well-being
- Authors:
- BERG-WEGER Marla, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 33(2), 2000, pp.47-62.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Using the strengths-based Caregiver Well-being Scale, this American research provides social workers with strategies for assessing and promoting caregiver well-being. One hundred eighteen family caregivers were used to examine caregiver relationship to the care-recipient and 138 caregivers are included in the analyses for co-residential arrangement with the care-recipient. Predictors of well-being were highlighted for each group. Care-giver competence and depression predict well-being is the only predictor for co-resident caregivers. Implications for social work practice with family caregivers are highlighted.
Race and ethnic group disparities in emotional distress among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Authors:
- BUI Cindy N., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Gerontologist, 61(2), 2021, pp.262-272.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
Background and Objectives: Framed within Conservation of Resources theory, this study addressed race–ethnic differences in the relationships between emotional distress and current and expected coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic stressors. Research Design and Methods: The study employed data from the Household Pulse Survey, a large national survey collecting weekly data to understand the experiences of Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic (age 55 and above; N = 94,550). Emotional distress included depression and anxiety symptoms. COVID-19 stressors included current and expected income, housing, health care, and food insecurities. Results: Older persons of color reported higher rates of stressors and emotional distress than their White counterparts. In relation to current stressors, older Black persons responded with less emotional distress and older Latino persons responded with more emotional distress than older White persons. In addition, older persons of color were more likely to expect future resource losses related to COVID-19, and the association between these expectations and emotional distress varied by race–ethnic group. Discussion and Implications: The findings reflected the disproportionate negative impact of COVID-19 stressors on emotional distress among older persons of color, providing a baseline for future studies to further examine the impacts of the pandemic among diverse older adult populations. (Edited publisher abstract)
Burden on caregivers of older patients with bipolar disorder
- Authors:
- DOLS Annemiek, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 22(5), 2018, pp.686-691.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Objectives: Available data suggest high burden on caregivers of patients with bipolar disorder (BD), yet the well-being of patients with BD increasingly depends on family members, partners and close friends. As patients with BD get older, the need for informal care may shift. We aimed to describe the caregivers of older adults with BD (OABD) and explore what patients' and caregivers' characteristics are associated with caregiver burden. Method: Forty-seven caregivers of OABD were questioned about their perceived burden and depressive symptoms. Linear regression analyses were performed to examine the influence of various patients' and caregivers' characteristics on caregiver burden or depression. Results: More than half of all caregivers experienced some degree of burden,and 6.4% reported depressive symptoms. The number of psychiatric admissions and social functioning were the only patients' characteristics associated with higher burden. Caregiver burden was significantly associated with caregiver's other obligations. None of the patient or caregiver characteristics was significantly associated with depression in caregivers of OABD. Conclusion: In OABD, even with few residual symptoms, more than half of all caregivers experience substantial burden. Future studies are needed to confirm if improving social functioning and preventing psychiatric hospitalizations decrease the burden on the caregivers of OABD. (Edited publisher abstract)
The determinants of informal caregivers' burden in the care of frail older persons: a dynamic and role-related perspective
- Authors:
- MELLO J. de Almedia, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 21(8), 2017, pp.838-843.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Abstract: Research into informal caregivers' burden does not distinguish between different stages of impairment. This study explored the determinants of burden from an in-depth perspective in order to identify which determinants apply to which phases of impairment. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study including frail older persons aged 65 and above. Instruments used were the interRAI Home Care, the Zarit-12 interview and an ad hoc economic questionnaire. A combination of variables from the Stress Process Model and Role Theory and a sub-group analysis enabled refined multivariate logistic analyses. Results: The study population consisted of 4175 older persons (average age: 81.4 ± 6.8, 67.8% female) and their informal caregivers. About 57% of them perceived burden. Depressive symptoms, behavioural problems, IADL impairment, previous admissions to nursing homes and risk of falls yielded significant odds ratios in relation to informal caregivers’ burden for the whole sample. These determinants were taken from the Stress Process Model. When the population was stratified according to impairment, some factors were only significant for the population with severe impairment (behavioural problems OR:2.50; previous admissions to nursing homes OR:2.02) and not for the population with mild or moderate impairment. The informal caregiver being an adult child, which is a determinant from Role Theory, and cohabitation showed significant associations with burden in all strata. Conclusion: Determinants of informal caregivers’ burden varied according to stages of impairment. The results of this study can help professional caregivers gain a greater insight into which informal caregivers are most susceptible to perceive burden. (Edited publisher abstract)