Level Of Overloading And Difficulties Of Informal Carers

Carlos Albuquerque
2017 unpublished
With the increase of life expectancy and the development of chronic diseases, family and friends have a role of extreme importance in the extension of care services. Thus, the main objective of this study is to identify the level of exhaustion and problems that carers can experience and the variables that influence them. This study is characterized as being quantitative, descriptive-correlational, using a nonprobabilistic, accidental and convenience sampling, comprising 71 informal caregivers,
more » ... ged between 30 and 80 years ( ̅ = 53,73; Dp= 12,001), mostly female (64,79%), married (83,2%), village residents (83,2%) and with an average age of 53,73 years (Dp= 12,001). The data collection instruments included the Barthel Index; Smilkstein's Family Apgar Scale; Scale of Social Support; Questionnaire of the Evaluation on the Informal Carer's Overburden and Evaluation Index of Carer's Difficulties. The results displayed that sociodemographic characteristics do not influence the acuity how caregivers experience their exhaustion feelings. Regarding the "family functionality" and "social support"-informal caregivers in families with severe dysfunction and low social support, show higher rates of exhaustion. The higher difficulties were connected to the greater experience of overload by caregivers. The results revealed the existence of crucial factors related to a caregiver's overburden. Hence, the importance of a multidisciplinary approach based on supportive programmes cannot be underestimated -monitoring and giving personalised guidance to these caregivers -highlighting the need to increase the well-being of these people, so they can safely provide essential care to the person they are caring for, preventing at the same time physical and psychological overburden on themselves.
doi:10.15405/epsbs.2017.09.11 fatcat:4tpckvg3mzfdleabh7p5bzqh54