Involvement in Caregiving and Adjustment to Death of a Spouse

Schulz, Richard; Beach, Scott R.; Lind, Bonnie K.; Martire, Lynn M.; Zdaniuk, Bożena; Hirsch, Calvin H.; Jackson, Sharon; Burton, Lynda

doi:10.1001/jama.285.24.3123

Cited by 229 publications

(176 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…This finding is aligned with previous research linking family caregiving experiences to adjustment (28). Research supports the need for improvements in caregiver-health professional communication to better prepare caregivers for the death (29)(30)(31)(32).…”

Section: Implications For Health Professionals and Servicessupporting

confidence: 87%

Transitioning From Caregiving to Widowhood

DiGiacomo

Lewis

Nolan

et al. 2013

Journal of Pain and Symptom Management

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ContextOlder women commonly assume a caregiving role for their husbands at end-of-life and are more vulnerable to poorer health, wellbeing, and social and economic challenges. ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to ascertain older women's experiences of spousal caregiving at endof-life and the ways in which this experience impacts on the transition to widowhood. Methods:Longitudinal in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with older women three times over a one year period following the death of their husbands. This report focuses on the initial interviews that examined the transition from caregiving to widowhood. Transcripts were analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis methods. Participants were community-dwelling women over the age of 65 who had recently been caregivers for their husbands who died within the past two years.Results: Older women caregivers described their caregiver role as taxing, particularly in light of their own chronic conditions, which they failed to prioritise and address. They did not ask for help in managing their roles and health problems, but quietly endured. Hence, they did not communicate their needs or strains explicitly. The degree of perceived adequacy of communication and interaction with health professionals were important factors impacting on their bereavement. Conclusion:It is imperative for health professionals to appreciate that older women caregivers may need more supportive interaction and information during end-of-life caregiving, they may have expectations of communication, and they may deny or fail to focus on their own health issues. A patient/family/carer-centred approach could negate this oversight and improve outcomes for these women as they transition into widowhood.3

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Section: Implications For Health Professionals and Servicessupporting

confidence: 87%

Transitioning From Caregiving to Widowhood

DiGiacomo

Lewis

Nolan

et al. 2013

Journal of Pain and Symptom Management

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“…Já em relação ao comprometimento psicossocial na vida do cuidador há, também, uma gama variada de achados: depressão 22,23,27 , distúrbios do sono 28,29 , medo 24 , maior uso de psicotrópicos 22,30 , rupturas de vínculos, isolamento, solidão, diminuição da participação social, perda do suporte social 11,23,24,28,29,30 e menor satisfação com a vida 27,30 .…”

Section: ôNus Familiar E Sobrecarga Ao Cuidadorunclassified

“…Por sua vez, Schulz et al 27 , ao estudarem o impacto causado na vida do cuidador idoso com a perda de seu(sua) esposo(a), encontraram os seguintes achados: antes da morte do paciente, o grupo de cuidadores sobrecarregados em suas funções tinha mais sintomas depressivos do que aqueles sem sobrecarga ou que o grupo de não-cuidadores, mantendo ní-veis elevados destes sintomas durante a fase de luto (p = 0,75). Já para o grupo de não-cuidadores houve significativo aumento de sintomas depressivos no luto (p < 0,001), o mesmo ocorrendo entre os cuidadores sem sobrecarga, porém de modo menos significativo (p =…”

Section: ôNus Familiar E Sobrecarga Ao Cuidadorunclassified

“…Já Schulz et al 27 preconizam algumas medidas com base em seu estudo: que os médicos atuem junto aos cuidadores enlutados com medidas de suporte; que aqueles com sintomas depressivos significativos, nesta fase, sejam reconhecidos e tratados com medicamentos antidepressivos ou com intervenções psicossociais; que, uma vez constatado que cuidadores com sobrecarga que estão deprimidos tendem a manter a depressão na fase de luto, sejam instituídas medidas de atenção a este cuidador, podendo, com isto, abreviar seu período de sofrimento psíquico após a morte do ente querido; que os não-cuidadores sejam monitorados com relação ao seu peso e convenientemente medicados para o quadro depressivo na fase de luto. Os autores também sugerem que seu trabalho seja visto em associação com outros dados, como os encontrados no estudo de Schulz & Beach 25 .…”

Section: Intervenções Propostasunclassified

See 1 more Smart Citation

Cuidador do idoso com câncer avançado: um ator vulnerado

Floriani

Schramm

2006

Cad. Saúde Pública

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“…This paper tests whether caregiving by adult children has adverse effects on their mental and physical health. The evidence is clear that providing informal care can cause adverse emotional and physical health effects on elderly spousal caregivers, at least in the short term, and even up to five years after a caregiving experience (Schulz et al 2001).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Caring for Mom and Neglecting Yourself? The Health Effects of Caring for an Elderly Parent

Coe

Houtven

2008

SSRN Journal

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We examine the physical and mental health effects of providing care to an elderly mother on the adult child caregiver. We address the endogeneity of the selection in and out of caregiving using an instrumental variable approach, and carefully control for baseline health and work status of the adult child using fixed effects and Arellano-Bond estimation techniques. Continued caregiving over time increases depressive symptoms for married women and married men. In addition, the increase in depressive symptoms is persistent for married men. Depressive symptoms for single men and women are not affected by continued caregiving. There is a small protective effect on the likelihood (10%) of having any heart conditions among married women who continue caregiving.Robustness checks confirm that the increase in depressive symptoms and decrease in likelihood of heart conditions can be directly attributable to caregiving behavior, and not due to a direct effect of the death of the mother. The initial onset of caregiving, by contrast, has no immediate effects on physical or mental health for any subgroup of caregivers.3

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Involvement in Caregiving and Adjustment to Death of a Spouse

Cited by 229 publications

References 19 publications

Transitioning From Caregiving to Widowhood

Transitioning From Caregiving to Widowhood

Cuidador do idoso com câncer avançado: um ator vulnerado

Caring for Mom and Neglecting Yourself? The Health Effects of Caring for an Elderly Parent

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