Depression

Stress associated with caring for a mentally ill spouse can adversely affect the health status of caregivers and their children. Adding to the stress of caregiving is the stigma often placed against spouses and children of people with mental illness. Contrary to mental illness, many physical disorders such as cancer may be less stigmatized (expect pulmonary cancer).

Background Around 50 million people worldwide are diagnosed with dementia and this number is due to triple by 2050. The majority of persons with dementia receive care and support from their family, friends or neighbours, who are generally known as informal caregivers. These might experience symptoms of depression and anxiety as a consequence of caregiving activities.

Objectives: To investigate the effects of a national support program on family caregivers for long-term care (LTC) recipients. Design: A single-blinded randomized controlled trial compared the 8-week Caregiver Orientation for Mobilizing Personal Assets and Strengths for Self-Care (COMPASS) program consisting of 6 individual inhome, 3 group support, and 2 telephone sessions with a multicomponent intervention, and a control group.

Objectives A caregiving stress perspective suggests that caregiving harms psychological well-being in informal caregivers, whereas a caregiving rewards perspective suggests that provision of care benefits psychological well-being. This research examines whether both perspectives apply to caregiving experiences, but differently by the primary location of caregiving (i.e. in-home, other residence, and institution), as well as by gender.

Background: The majority of stroke survivors return to their homes and need assistance from family caregivers to perform activities of daily living. These increased demands coupled with the lack of preparedness for their new roles lead to a high risk for caregivers developing depressive symptoms and other negative outcomes. Follow-up home support and problem-solving interventions with caregivers are crucial for maintaining stroke survivors in their homes.

The present study is one of the first attempts to examine the connection of physical activity with the mental health of people that care for family members with mental illness. Caregiving is a load with negative effects on well-being but caring for a family member with mental illness results to a higher psychological burden, due to other factors involved (i.e. stigma). Physical activity and exercise have been found to be variables that lead to better quality of life for caregivers in many chronic illnesses.

The aim of this pilot intervention study was to assess the effectiveness of selected forms of therapy (massage and relaxation) in reducing the perceived burden and improving the emotional status of caregivers of people with dementia and to determine which form of physical intervention is most effective. The study group was made up of 45 informal caregivers, who were divided into three subgroups (the massage group, relaxation group and control group).

The current study examined potential gender differences in the associations between informal caregiving, poor mental health, and subjective cognitive decline (SCD). Data were obtained from the U.S. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (N = 16,042; 9,410 women, 6,632 men). Multivariate linear and logistic regression models were used to obtain adjusted beta s and odds ratios (ORs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) depicting the association between informal caregiving, poor mental health, and SCD overall and by gender.

Background: Quality of life is a basic goal of health and social care. The majority of people with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) are cared for at home by family caregivers. It is important to recognize the factors that contribute to quality of life for individuals to better understand the lived experiences in a condition for which there is currently no curative treatment. Aim: To explore individual quality of life of people with ALS and their informal caregivers over time.

Background and Objectives: Caring for a person with dementia places a significant burden upon informal caregivers and leads to decreased psychological and physical health, which is why dementia caregiver interventions have been developed. However, empirical evidence for the efficacy of those interventions is inconclusive and the last comprehensive meta-analysis (Pinquart & Sorensen. Helping caregivers of persons with dementia: Which interventions work and how large are their effects? International Psychogeriatrics.