Exploration of the Relationship between Well-Being and Burden in Family Caregivers: A Community Based Research Project

Abstract

Family caregivers provide long-term care to a growing population of older adults. Family caregiver research focuses on the burden and strain of this role. The aim of this study was to explore the psychological effects, both negative and positive, of being a family caregiver. This research was developed and conducted to meet an identified community need, in collaboration with two nonprofit organizations. A convenience sample of family caregivers was obtained through two nonprofit agencies that provide aging services. The levels of burden and well-being were assessed through self-report questionnaires administered electronically or by mail. The sample size for this study was small (n=11); this was not wholly unexpected due to the challenges of assessing an understudied population of people in roles which place high demands on their time. Some trends in the data suggest that higher levels of reported burden are associated with lower well-being. The two community agencies involved with this study expressed the need for further research to confirm this, and to identify positive experiences associated with caregiving, as reported by caregivers.