Sources of stress for family caregivers of institutionalized dementia patients

Although many caregivers place their relative in a nursing home in an attempt to reduce their own burden, caregiving stress often continues after institutionalization. This research examined sources of stress for 66 caregivers who cared for their impaired relative at home and later placed that individual in a nursing home. We hypothesized that although these caregivers no longer had primary responsibility for direct care, they would continue to experience distress because of the stressors associated with the nursing home. Results ran counter to our expectations. Although many caregivers reported stressors related to nursing home care, stressors stemming from the patient's Alzheimer's disease (AD) symptoms accounted for more variance in caregivers' levels of anxiety and depression, and in the quality of their interpersonal relations. Even though caregivers were assisted in their caregiving responsibilities by the nursing home staff, their relative's AD symptoms continued to prompt distress.