Relationships Between the Uses of Welfare Services and Family Caregivers for Elderly Persons

1999 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 10672210
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: 基礎・地域看護学
• Research Institution: Ehime University
• Principal Investigator: ONO Tsuruko School of Medicine, Ehime University, Professor, 医学部, 教授 (10020025)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): TANAKA Akiko School of Medicine, Ehime University, Assistant, 医学部, 助手 (80274314) ; ONICHI Michie School of Medicine, Ehime University, Assistant Professor, 医学部, 助教授 (30223895)
• Project Period (FY): 1998 – 1999
• Keywords: Family Caregivers / Welfare Service / Burden of Family Caregivers / Domiciliary Care of Frail and Bedridden Elderly Persons / Satisfaction of Family Caregivers / Effects of Utilization Welfare Services / 介護負担感

Research Abstract

The purpose of this study was to elucidate the relationships between the uses of welfare services and caregivers of domiciliary care of frail and bedridden elderly persons. There were two steps in our investigation. The study consisted of 195 people, who responded to our questionnaire by mail All subjects were persons who used home care nursing services. In addition, 41 of the voluntary caregivers of 195 these respondants agreed to a semi-structured interview in their homes.
In this study , we analyzed the caregivers feelings of burden, satisfaction, caregiving, reasons for continuation, and effects of utilization of welfare services.
Results were the following :
1. Welfare services are utilized home help services, care-instrument supplies, bath services, day services, and short-stay services, in order of frequency.
2. In the group of 41 caregivers, 34.1% were the wives of patients ; daughters made up 26.8% ; daughters-in-law were 17.1%. Almost all caregivers said they felt some physical a nd mental burden.
3. Caregivers were asked why they continued providing care under these conditions, Wives, daughters and husbands said that family relation and love were the most important factors. The elderly with family relations prefered home care. As such, wife/daughter/husband caregivers felt that they were fulfilling a need for their loved one.
4. In addtion, obligation to family was also a factor in providing home care.
5. Of the 41 interviewees, 9 people said that they felt no satisfaction from providing care. Thirty-two caregivers who felt satistaction measured personal satisfaction by smiles, expressions and good feelings from their elderly patients.
6. In the case of extended home care, many welfare services were used. Elderly persons were put into nursing homes for short-stay or elderly-day services. During these periods, home-caregivers could relax and rid themselves of stress.
7. In conclusion, caregivers use of welfare services resulted in a decrease of burden and stress. In cases of extended home care, good family relationships and love, especially a good relationship between caregiver and receiver, was the key factor.