Burdens to Family Members in Home Care and Related QOL Factors / 日本農村医学会雑誌

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted to shed light on the actual conditions of home care and quality-of-life factors related to the burdens on families. For this purpose, a survey was carried out on main caretakers in the families who were using our home care support service. Fundamental information about the main caretakers and those who need care were garnered. In addition, WHO/QOL-26 and burdens for main caretakers were checked up on.The survey found that those who have looked after the sick or invalid for less than six months and those over five years keenly felt that they were shouldering a heavy burden. With the progression of dementia, the caretakers increasingly felt the burden getting heavier. Physical factors in QOL were linked to the burden which caretakers feel has to be borne, but psychological and social factors were not. This finding might have been ascribed to the fact that the persons surveyed were residents of the provincial city, part of which is rural. They were mostly old women and must have gained the support of their relatives. It is easy to assume that their role perception and sense of responsibility together with regional characteristics were reflected in psychological and social QOL factors.