Social support and cognitive processing among elderly caregivers and non-caregivers of other elderly persons

Wellinton Lucas Silva De Almeida,Ana Carolina Ottaviani,Bruna Rodrigues Dos Santos,Allan Gustavo Brigola,Tábatta Renata Pereira De Brito,Sofia Cristina Lost Pavarini

doi:10.1590/1981-22562018021.180107

Wellinton Lucas Silva De Almeida, Ana Carolina Ottaviani + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/1981-22562018021.180107

Copy DOI

Abstract

Abstract Objective : to analyze measures of social support and cognitive processing among elderly caregivers and non-caregivers. Method : a comparative, cross-sectional and quantitative study was performed. Participants were divided into two groups: 41 elderly caregivers of other elderly persons (G1) and 41 elderly non-caregivers (G2). Sociodemographic, health and care variables, social support, cognition and cognitive processing (verified by long-latency auditory evoked potential acquisition with the Neuron-Spectrun-4 / EPM device) were assessed. Results : in G1, the majority were female (n=33, 80.5%), married (n=34, 82.9%), with a mean age of 68.5 (± 5.8) years, a mean 4.5 (± 3.7) years of schooling and had provided care on average for 18.0 (± 18.4) years for 6.5 (± 5.1) hours per day. In G2, the majority were female (n=31, 75.6%), widowed (n=23, 56.1%), had a mean age of 69.8 (± 7.2) years and a mean 3.7 (± 2) years of schooling. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups in social support, cognition and cognitive processing. Conclusion : the task of caring did not have a negative influence on social support and cognitive processing. This research may contribute to the planning of actions among primary health care providers and to future research investigating other factors that permeate this relationship.

Highlights

INTRODUCTIONThe chronic stress found in the task of caring seems to be associated with cognitive decline[11]
The chronic stress found in the task of caring seems to be associated with cognitive decline[11].Longevity and the chronic profile of the health According to Figueiredo et al.[12], instrumental activities problems of a population may lead to a reduction of daily living (IADL) and advanced activities of in the functionality of the elderly and increase daily living (AADL) are best performed by people their degree of dependence in activities of daily with effective cognitive functioning
Fuhrmann et al.[26], in the city of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, carried out a study with 112 elderly/caregivers linked to a basic care unit, with the objective of characterizing the elderly dependents and their main family caregivers and verifying the association between functional capacity and caregiver burden

Summary

INTRODUCTION

The chronic stress found in the task of caring seems to be associated with cognitive decline[11]. The objective of the present study was to analyze measures of social support and cognitive processing in two groups of elderly persons, caregivers and non-caregivers. In. In the second stage, data on cognitive processing, order to place the elderly in their respective groups, cognition and social support were collected. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups, the elderly persons in G2 had better scores in all areas of social support. In G2, the lowest means were for material (90.7, [±18.9]) and emotional support (90.7, [±18.6]) G2 Mean (±sd) 352.1 (±39.8) 353.5 (±45.8) 355.4 (±39.3) 5.5 (±4.4) 5.4 (±4.8) 6.3 (±4.0)

DISCUSSION

Findings

CONCLUSION