Potential risks of being old aged caregiver

Potential risks of being old aged caregiver

Moatassem S. Amer. Shereen M. Mousa Samia A. Abdul-Rahman Randa A. Reda Mabrook Valine A. Raafat

Medical Science Research Paper Volume : 5 | Issue : 5 | May 2015 | ISSN - 2249-555X

Keywords

caregivers, risks, elderly

Background

With the aging of the population, more caregivers are elderly, yet the potential risks of caregiving process is less addressed among old aged caregivers. Objectives: to assess potential risks of caregiving process among old aged caregivers compared to non-caregivers Methods: A Case-control study was conducted on 90 elderly subjects 60 caregiver cases (30 males and 30 females) and 30 non-caregiver controls (14 males and 16 females). All of whom were ≥ 60 years recruited from either inpatient wards or outpatient clinics of Ain Shams University Hospitals. Data regarding demographic characteristics, medical history and physical examination were taken. Geriatric Depression Scale, Mini-mental Status Examination, Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale, Spielberger anxiety scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and assessment of some of cardiovascular risks (fasting blood sugar, high sensitivity C reactive protein, serum lipids, and glycated hemoglobin) was performed.

Results

Compared to controls; elderly caregivers had significantly higher anxiety and poorer sleep (p value < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between caregivers and controls regarding depression (p = 0.07) or cognitive impairment (p = 0.05). Caregivers were more prone to cardiovascular risk factors. They had higher levels of fasting blood sugar (P = 0.004), high sensitivity C-reactive protien (P = 0.001), triglycerides (P = 0.003), total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (P < 0.00), and glycated hemoglobin (P = 0.03). Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale showed no significant difference between males and females regarding caregiver burden (P = 0.2).

Interpretation & Conclusion

caregiving process in elderly population is significantly associated with anxiety, sleep problems and cardiovascular risk factors.

رابط

http://worldwidejournals.com/ijar/file.php?val=May_2015_1432028016__97.pdf