Study Articles
A Study of Health Practices and Mental Health of the Primary Caregivers in Home-care
2007 Volume 10 Issue 2 Pages 51-58
Details
2007 Volume 10 Issue 2 Pages 51-58
The purpose of this study is to clarify the factors that relate to the health practices, mental health, and care burden of the primary caregivers in home-care.
As the result, the following was clarified.
Primary caregiver's mental health tended to be defective conditions compared with the person who had no one to care for.
In the following health practices, primary caregiver's mental health tended to be defective: irregular mealtime, midway awakening and insomnia, and little free time.
The state of depression was often found in the caregiver who was consulting a physician.
In the case in which the ADL independence level of the recipient was low and the recipient had symptoms of dementia, the primary caregiver's care burden was high and mental health tended to be defective.
The following points were suggested: it is necessary to secure the good mental health of the primary caregiver by preventing the worsening of conditions of the recipient. Support for the independence of the elderly care recipient and the securing of free time for the primary caregiver, are the necessary "elements" to improve the health practices of the caregiver.
