The determinants of informal caregivers’ perceived burden in the home care setting: relevant information for the care for older people

de Almeida Mello, Johanna [Katholieke Universiteit Leuven] Macq, Jean [UCL] Cès, Sophie [UCL] Van Durme, Thérèse [UCL] Declercq, Anja [Katholieke Universiteit Leuven]

(ger) Background / aim Informal caregivers (ICs) are crucial partners in the care for older persons and play an important role in helping them stay at home. The Belgian government is interested in delaying institutionalization of older persons. As a major predictor of institutionalization, IC’s burden is explored in this paper in order to identify its significant determinants. This is relevant information for home care providers to manage these determinants and try to decrease IC’s burden. Methods Nationwide, professional caregivers fill out the comprehensive geriatric assessment interRAI HomeCare and informal caregivers fill out the Zarit-12 and an economic questionnaire. After descriptive statistics are calculated, the study population is stratified according to impairment levels (ADL, IADL and cognition). Multivariate analyses are performed to analyze significant associations. Results The study population consists of frail older persons (n=4389, average age: 80.2, 67% women) who are benefiting from home care projects and who have IC (spouses (54.9%) or children (32.3%), etc.). Behavioral problems and older person’s depressive symptoms are significant determinants for IC burden in all strata (low, medium and high impairment), mainly for cohabitants. IADL impairment and time spent in care is a significant determinant for burden of non-cohabitants at low and medium impairment strata. Cognitive problems are significant determinants for burden at high impairment level.