Resilience in In-Home Caregivers of Older Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to identify the resilience level in formal and informal in-home caregivers of older adults in Ibagué during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study with a convenience sample of 49 formal and informal in-home caregivers of older adults. We administered the Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS), an instrument consisting of four items, to these caregivers. The questionnaire was self-completed and, in some cases, answered by telephone. The data were collected in April 2020. Results: 35 women and 14 men participated in this study. The formal (69.4 %) and informal caregivers, mostly family (30.6 %), were between 18 and 30 years old (65.30 %). Their resilience levels were high (16.3 %), moderate (61.3 %), and low (22.4 %). There was a significant association between caregiver type and resilience level (p ≤ 0.05). Other studied covariates did not show a significant association. Conclusions: Due to stressful situations caused by care during social isolation and the risk of death of the elderly by COVID-19, strategies to improve resilience related to emotional, cognitive, and sociocultural interventions in the caregiver should be considered.

Keywords

• Resilience
• Elderly
• Caregiver
• COVID-19
• Formal caregiver
• Family