Clinical Interventions in Aging (Oct 2022)
Understanding the Role, Quality of Life and Strategies Used by Older Carers of Older People to Maintain Their Own Health and Well-Being: A National Australian Survey
Abstract
Den-Ching A Lee,1,2 Elissa Burton,3,4 Susan Slatyer,5 Alessandro Jacinto,6 Déborah Oliveira,7 Christina Bryant,8 Anjali Khushu,9 Elizabeth Tiller,9 Aislinn Lalor,2,10 Moira Watson,5 Natasha Layton,2 Natasha Brusco,2 Keith D Hill2,11 1School of Primary and Allied Health Care, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Frankston, Victoria, 3199, Australia; 2Rehabilitation, Ageing and Independent Living (RAIL) Research Centre, Monash University, Frankston, Victoria, 3199, Australia; 3Curtin School of Allied Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, 6102, Australia; 4enAble Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, 6102, Australia; 5Centre for Healthy Ageing, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, 6150, Australia; 6Faculty of Geriatric Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil; 7Medical School, Faculty Postgraduate Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of Sao Paulo – UNIFESP, Sao Paulo-SP, Brazil; 8Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia; 9Department of Geriatrics (Falls Prevention Service), Peninsula Health, Frankston, Victoria, 3199, Australia; 10Department of Occupational Therapy, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3199, Australia; 11National Centre for Healthy Ageing, Monash University and Peninsula Health, Frankston, Victoria, 3199, AustraliaCorrespondence: Den-Ching A Lee, School of Primary and Allied Health Care, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Moorooduc Highway, Frankston, Victoria, 3199, Australia, Tel +613 9904 4662, Email [email protected]: Carers play a critical role in supporting older people with health problems to remain living at home. This study aimed to understand the role and quality of life of older carers of older people and identify strategies used to manage their own health and well-being.Methods: Older carers (aged ≥ 50 years) of older people (aged ≥ 65 years) in Australia participated in a cross-sectional survey focused on carer roles, self-rated health, information and activities used to maintain their carer role and health, barriers to accessing health care, and assessment of quality of life (QoL) using the Dementia Quality of Life Scale for Older Family Carers. Multiple regression analysis examined relationships between variables and the QoL outcome.Results: The survey was completed by 189 older carers (mean age: 68 years; SD = 9.3). Most were female (83.5%), 80.2% providing care daily and 47.8% provided ≥six hours care daily. Almost half (45.1%) self-reported their health as average or below. Despite rating ensuring personal health as very important (mean importance 8/10), only 46.3% reported receiving support from their general practitioner for their carer role. The most common barrier to accessing care for themselves was “not having enough time”. Factors independently associated with poorer carer QoL were living with the care-recipient, caring for someone with depression/anxiety and poor care-recipient health. Factors independently associated with higher carer QoL were placing high importance on personal health, receiving assistance from a specialist clinic as a carer, and older age.Conclusion: Older carers of older people provide high levels of care and experience reduced quality of life. Innovative approaches that provide integrated care and support for older carers to promote their QoL are urgently needed.Keywords: carers, older, health, dementia, quality of life, barriers
