To read this content please select one of the options below:

Impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the difficulties and burden experienced by family caregivers of older dependent persons

Lia Raquel Teixeira de Sousa (Vale do Ave High School of Health, CESPU, Minho, Portugal)
Carlos Sequeira (ESEP, Porto, Portugal)
Carme Ferré-Grau (Department of Nursing, University Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Spain)
Odete Araújo (Higher School of Nursing, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal)

The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice

ISSN: 1755-6228

Article publication date: 15 February 2022

Issue publication date: 28 June 2022

110

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the difficulties and overload/burden experienced by family caregivers of older dependent people during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Design/methodology/approach

A descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted. This work was guided according to the Guideline strengthenin the reporting of observational studies in epidemiology (EQUATOR checklist). The study included 65 family caregivers of older people with physical or mental dependence. Caregivers were selected by convenience sampling through a national association of informal caregivers. Participants responded to an online questionnaire, which aimed to assess difficulties and burdens experienced during the pandemic. Ethical principles were followed throughout the research.

Findings

The participants were mostly women, with an average age of 53 years, teleworking and cohabiting with the dependent elderly. Most caregivers reported that the pandemic has led to an increase in daily difficulties and associated burden. There was a statistically significant increase in hours devoted to care during the pandemic. Also, caregivers reported less time to take care of themselves and greater fatigue during this period.

Research limitations/implications

This study had some limitations. For example, the small sample size. The sample was collected through an online version, and many caregivers did not have the digital skills needed to complete the questionnaires, and most of them were busy (divided between teleworking and household responsibilities). Another limitation was related to the perceived priority of caregivers because the majority of them considered this was a time-consuming study and saw no immediate benefits. Furthermore, they considered that this study has taken their time to manage all the provision of care to the elder relative and other activities related to their children who were also in quarantine. Finally, to date, there is no sufficient evidence to compare our results with other national and international studies. Further research is needed to allow the scalability of results and to apply the best available knowledge to mitigate the known and potential effects of this pandemic.

Practical implications

This study highlighted that frontline caregivers suffered a negative impact on their physical and mental health, in addition to a significant economic burden during the pandemic outbreak. More research in this field is needed to plan, train and manage large-scale public health emergencies.

Social implications

The COVID-19 pandemic imposed physical distancing, which profoundly affected the physical and mental health of community-dwelling older people and their family caregivers. Because of the confinement and closure of some social support institutions, family caregivers found themselves in a complex situation, having to reconcile care and teleworking. Therefore, it is important to identify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the difficulties and burden of these caregivers to implement and develop social and health support measures.

Originality/value

This paper addresses an increasingly important issue – the burden and difficulties of family caregivers, in the light of a new reality – the Covid-19 pandemic, which has brought new difficulties for this population.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors are extremely grateful to all “frontline” caregivers who participated in this study during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Contributors: Lia Sousa and Odete Araújo designed the study, collected the data and wrote the manuscript. Carlos Sequeira and Carme Ferré-Grau designed the study and review the final manuscript.

Citation

de Sousa, L.R.T., Sequeira, C., Ferré-Grau, C. and Araújo, O. (2022), "Impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the difficulties and burden experienced by family caregivers of older dependent persons", The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice, Vol. 17 No. 4, pp. 355-365. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMHTEP-04-2021-0036

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited

Related articles