Mccusker, J.

Objectives: To describe unmet needs of caregivers of hospitalized older adults during the transition from hospital back home, and identify subgroups with different needs. Methods: Patients and family caregivers were recruited from an acute care hospital in Montreal, Canada. Measures included Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Zarit burden scale, and Family Inventory of Needs.

Background: no longitudinal studies have addressed the effect of late life depression on the physical and mental health status of their informal caregivers.

Objective: to examine whether a diagnosis of depression in older medical inpatients is associated with the physical and mental health status of their informal caregivers after 6 months, independent of the physical health of the care recipient.

Design: longitudinal observational study with 6-month follow-up.