Stress in families providing care to frail elderly relatives and the effects of receiving in-home respite services.

The present research investigated caregiver stress and strain associated with providing full-time care to a frail elderly relative. Fifty families were identified who were providing this care. Twenty-five of these families were receiving an in-home respite service. The remaining twenty-five families were on a waiting list with the same agency until such services could be provided. Extensive interviews were conducted with the identified caregiver and the elderly relative in all families. The results of this study provide a clear description of characteristics of the caregivers and their relatives on a variety of dimensions including: the conditions under which providing this care occurs, the consequences to these caregivers with respect to stress and situational strain, correlates of this stress and strain and the effects of receiving a respite service. Substantial stress was seen among all of the caregivers. Using a variety of multi-variate statistical methods several significant differences in stress and strain were seen among a variety of factors associated with the caregiving situation and between the primary caretakers receiving the respite service and those who were not. The results support the need for both formal and informal support to families in the caregiving role to aid their ability in providing this care and in inhibiting institutionalization.