Types of Caregiving Experience and Their Association With Caregiver Depressive Symptoms and Quality of Life

Abstract

Objective This study examines distinct types of caregiving experience, each formed by varied combinations of caregiving burden and benefits, and their association with caregiver depressive symptoms and quality of life. Methods: We apply latent profile analysis and multivariable regression to data on 278 caregivers participating in the Caregiving Transitions among Family Caregivers of Elderly Singaporeans (TraCE) study in 2019–2020. Results: We identify four caregiving experience types: (1) balanced (low burden and moderate benefits, 40% of caregivers), (2) satisfied (low burden and high benefits, 33%), (3) intensive (high burden and high benefits, 17%), and (4) dissatisfied (moderate burden and low benefits, 10%). Caregivers with dissatisfied and intensive caregiving experience tend to report higher depressive symptoms and lower quality of life compared to those with satisfied caregiving experience. Discussion: A person-centered approach helps capture the heterogeneity in caregiving experience. Policymakers should develop tailored interventions by caregiving experience types for promoting caregiver well-being.

Care Needs Profiles and Their Association with Caregiver Strain among Community-Dwelling Older Adults with Cognitive Impairment

“…About 34% of the caregivers were the spouses of their PCI; 16.5% provided care to their PCI for more than 5 years, and 37% received help from FDW. The sample characteristics were largely similar to the recent caregiving study conducted in Singapore in 2019-2020 [27], although more caregivers in this study were male and an ethnic majority (Chinese).…”

Met and Unmet Needs of Older Adults With Cognitive Impairment, and Burden and Benefits of Their Family Caregivers

“…A majority of caregivers were classified into the satisfied (low burden and low benefits) and dissatisfied caregiving experience types (low burden and low benefits). We did not find caregivers with low burden and moderate benefits, labeled as the balanced caregiving experience type in the literature 14,15. Overall, about 90% of caregivers reported low caregiving burden, despite the varying degrees of benefits.…”

“…6,18 Therefore, we anticipated that caregivers of PCI in Singapore would report met and unmet needs in similar domains, such as memory, daytime activities, and company. With regard to the types of caregiving experience, based on the recent literature, 14 we posited the emergence of at least 2 types of caregiving experience: high benefits and low burden (satisfied caregiving experience) and low benefits and moderate to high burden (dissatisfied caregiving experience). Lastly, we hypothesized that met needs are associated with satisfied caregiving experience, whereas unmet needs are associated with dissatisfied caregiving experience.…”

“…4 Moreover, recent studies have suggested that caregiving burden should be considered together with caregiving benefits. 13,14 This is because burden and benefits coexist and cooccur, albeit to a varying extent, shaping the overall caregiving experience. 13 Using a person-centered approach, relevant studies identify different types of caregiving experience: satisfied (low burden and high benefits), balanced (moderate burden and high benefits), intensive (high burden and moderate benefits), and dissatisfied (high burden and low benefits).…”

Ethics of participation and social inclusion of older persons in research: lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore

“…At the same time, Singaporeans are spending a greater proportion of their life span in poor health [17], with loneliness being associated with higher mortality risks [19]. Increased rates of chronic disease and disability among older persons have intensified eldercare demands in Singapore-where cultural discourses of filial piety places family caregivers as the major source of care [20]. The closure and restriction on eldercare services during the pandemic added a layer of complexity to the work of caregivers who were struggling to cope with existing stressors [21].…”