Coping

Informal caregivers represent a significant proportion of the population. This can be a challenging role associated with adverse psychological outcomes. Gender can have important influences on choice of coping strategies; however, male caregivers have been a relatively understudied group in this regard. A systematic review of qualitative studies was conducted to synthesize research on male carer self-initiated coping strategies. A total of 16 studies met inclusion criteria for the current review.

Background: There is limited evidence on caregiver outcomes associated with mild cognitive impairment in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD-MCI) and the coping strategies used by these caregivers. Methods: To investigate this relationship, we examined levels of burden, depression, anxiety, coping strategies and positive aspects of caregiving in the informal caregivers of 96 PD patients. The PD patients were classified using MDS-Task Force Level II criteria as showing either normal cognition (PD-N; n = 51), PD-MCI (n = 30) or with dementia (PDD; n = 15).

The broad spectrum of problems caused by caring for a patient with mental illness imposes a high burden on family caregivers. This can affect how they cope with their mentally ill family members. Identifying caregivers' experiences of barriers to coping is necessary to develop a program to help them overcome these challenges. This qualitative content analysis study explored barriers impeding family caregivers' ability to cope with their relatives diagnosed with severe mental illness (defined here as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorders, and bipolar affective disorders).

Objective: To assess if expressive and instrumental social support from family and friends moderate the association of care-related work interruptions (e.g. leaving work for the older adult's doctor appointment) with depressive symptoms among working family caregivers of older adults. Methods: Data were from the Singapore Survey on Informal Caregiving (SSIC).

Understanding how long-term illness affects quality of life for patients and families is central to providing individualised, patient-focused care in the community, as Leire Ambrosio and colleagues explain

The objective of this pilot Norwegian intervention study was to explore whether use of information and communication technology (ICT) by informal carers of frail elderly people living at home would enable them to gain more knowledge about chronic illness, caring and coping, establish an informal support network and reduce stress and related mental health problems.

This study was concerned with identifying the impact of variables such as gender, length of time caring, coping style, depression and perception of caregiving burden on the physical and psychological well‐being of carers of persons with dementia. Forty‐two carers aged between 21 and 88years from Blue Care's Homecare Dementia Service and Cairns Aged Care Health Service participated in the study.

Rampant levels of AIDS and poverty have made many children in sub-Saharan Africa the primary caregivers of their ageing or ailing guardians. This paper reports on a social action fund initiative that brought caregiving children together to set-up and run income generating activities as a group with the aim of strengthening their coping capabilities.

Background and objectives Research into carers of people with young onset dementia (YOD) has highlighted that carers may experience more distress than late onset dementia (LOD) carers (e.g. Freyne, Kidd, Coen & Lawlor, 1999), and have specific needs which differ from those of LOO carers (e.g. Svanberg, Spectar & Slott, 2011). Difficulties with employment has been raised as a particular issue for this population (e.g. van Vliet, de Vugt, Bakker, Koopmans & Verhey, 2010), yet no qualitative study has examined the factors influencing carers' experience of employment.