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Anderson S, Parmar J, L’Heureux T, Dobbs B, Charles L, Tian PGJ. Family Caregiving during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Canada: A Mediation Analysis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19148636. [PMID: 35886490 PMCID: PMC9317413 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19148636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Family caregiving is a public health issue because of caregivers’ significant contribution to the health and social care systems, as well as the substantial impact that giving and receiving care has on the health and quality of life of care receivers and caregivers. While there have been many studies that associate caregivers’ care work, financial difficulty, navigation, and other caregiving factors with family caregivers’ psychological distress, we were interested not only in the factors related to family caregiver anxiety but also in hypothesizing how those effects occur. In this study, we used Andrew Hayes’ PROCESS moderation analysis to explore the link between caregiver frailty, weekly care hours, and perceptions of financial difficulty, social support, and anxiety. In this analysis, we included 474 caregivers with relatively complete data on all of the variables. In regression analysis after controlling for gender and age, social loneliness (β = 0.245), frailty (β = 0.199), financial difficulty (β = 0.196), care time (β = 0.143), and navigation confidence (β = 0.131) were all significant. We then used PROCESS Model 6 to determine the significance of the direct, indirect, and total effects through the serial mediation model. The model pathway from frailty to care time to financial difficulty to social loneliness to anxiety was significant. The proportions of family caregivers who were moderately frail, anxious, and experiencing social loneliness after eighteen months of the COVID-19 pandemic found in this survey should be of concern to policymakers and healthcare providers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon Anderson
- Division of Care of the Elderly, Department of Family Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T5G 2T4, Canada; (J.P.); (T.L.); (B.D.); (L.C.); (P.G.J.T.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Jasneet Parmar
- Division of Care of the Elderly, Department of Family Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T5G 2T4, Canada; (J.P.); (T.L.); (B.D.); (L.C.); (P.G.J.T.)
- Medically At-Risk Driver Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T5G 2T4, Canada
| | - Tanya L’Heureux
- Division of Care of the Elderly, Department of Family Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T5G 2T4, Canada; (J.P.); (T.L.); (B.D.); (L.C.); (P.G.J.T.)
| | - Bonnie Dobbs
- Division of Care of the Elderly, Department of Family Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T5G 2T4, Canada; (J.P.); (T.L.); (B.D.); (L.C.); (P.G.J.T.)
- Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB T5G 0B7, Canada
| | - Lesley Charles
- Division of Care of the Elderly, Department of Family Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T5G 2T4, Canada; (J.P.); (T.L.); (B.D.); (L.C.); (P.G.J.T.)
- Medically At-Risk Driver Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T5G 2T4, Canada
- Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB T5G 0B7, Canada
| | - Peter George J. Tian
- Division of Care of the Elderly, Department of Family Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T5G 2T4, Canada; (J.P.); (T.L.); (B.D.); (L.C.); (P.G.J.T.)
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Longstreth M, McKibbin C, Steinman B, Slosser Worth A, Carrico C. Exploring Information and Referral Needs of Individuals with Dementias and Informal Caregivers in Rural and Remote Areas. Clin Gerontol 2022; 45:808-820. [PMID: 31920164 DOI: 10.1080/07317115.2019.1710735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Objectives: The provision of information and referral (I&R) and connection to support services is crucial for individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) and their informal caregivers, especially in rural and remote regions where care and support resources may be limited. The purpose of this study was to develop a deeper understanding of needs for I&R from community stakeholders across a rural and remote state.Methods: A series of town hall meetings were conducted across ten communities in a frontier state.Results: Participants were 175 adults with a mean age of approximately 60 years (SD = 15 years); a majority were non-Hispanic white, female, and self-identified as informal caregivers. Three themes emerged as primary areas of need: (1) to address stigma related to ADRD; (2) to improve the availability of dementia-related I&R; and (3) to efficiently disseminate dementia-related I&R.Conclusions: Findings suggest the importance of a single point of access for I&R with presence in local communities as well as initial and ongoing assessment and provision of appropriate I&R throughout the course of ADRDs.Clinical Implications: Existing community resources and funding support should be leveraged for multiple points and means of access to reliable I&R.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Longstreth
- Department of Psychology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA
| | | | - Bernard Steinman
- Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA
| | | | - Catherine Carrico
- Department of Psychology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA
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