Exploration of factors related to direct care and outcomes of caregiving Caregivers of terminally ill older persons

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore factors related to the amount of direct care and outcomes of caregiving experienced by family members of terminally ill older persons using secondary analysis. A total of 55 caregivers whose care receivers were aged greater than or equal to 65 years were selected from Kirschling's (1988) hospice sample. The majority of caregivers were female (75%) and the spouse of the care receiver (66%). The duration of caregiving ranged from 1 to 180 months. Most care receivers were diagnosed with cancer (84%) and had been ill for 2-360 months (mean = 30.2). The mean length of time in hospice for care receivers was 2.4 months. Caregivers most frequently provided little extra tasks that were least difficult, least upsetting, and easier to provide. Behavioral problem tasks were least frequently provided but were reported as the most difficult, tiring, upsetting, and hardest to provide. Caregivers whose care receivers had been in hospice for greater than 34 days reported having to provide more communication tasks than caregivers whose ill older family members had been in hospice less than 34 days. Long-term caregivers (providing care for greater than 9 months) whose care receivers had been in hospice for greater than 34 days provided significantly fewer personal care tasks than short-term caregivers. Finally, there were no significant effects for duration of caregiving and length of time in hospice on outcomes of caregiving.