Caregiver Stress : First Person Accounts of the Perception and Utilization of Support Services
Abstract
The majority of care for older adults is provided in the home. Many studies show that the daily demands placed on informal care providers produce high degrees of strain and stress. In an effort to reduce the over-arching impact care provider burnout can have on the entire family system, a number of community organizations offer resources to informal caregivers in the form of support groups, respite care and skills-training. More research is needed regarding the extent to which informal caregivers utilize these services. The objective of this paper is to assimilate more information about how care providers learn about available resources, which ones are used, and how the care providers’ needs are being supported. Key themes from these data could provide service providers with insights regarding: the effectiveness of their marketing strategies; ways current services could better serve a larger, more diverse population; and potential new services.