Factors of Caregiving Burden and the Effectiveness of Social Welfare Services for the Family Caregivers of the Impaired Older Persons

노인간병가족의 부담요인 및 부담완화를 위한 사회복지서비스와 실천방법의 효과에 관한 연구

The primary purpose of this study is to examine the buffering effect of social welfare services on the relationship between the level of older persons' impairment and burden experienced by the family caregivers. It also assessed the level of caregiving burden as well as the effect of both older person's impairment and the characteristics of the caregivers on burden. The survey data collected from 150 community residing family caregivers was used for analyses. Findings are as follows. First, the caregivers are more burdened in the deterioration of mental health, scarce time for oneself, and the suffering of social life than in other areas of burden. Second, the more severe the physical and the mental impairment of the elder, the more burden the caregivers experience. The caregivers' characteristics such as the worse mental health, the lower level of attachment to the elder, the longer caregiving hours are also related to the higher level of caregiving burden. Third, the caregivers' use of adult day care and respite care services buffer the relationship between the level of impairment of older persons and the caregiving burden. However, social work counselling, visiting nurse, homemaker services do not have such buffering effects. Among informal support, instrumental support buffers the relationship between the elder's physical impairment and burden, while emotional support buffers the relationship between the elder's mental impairment and burden. According to the results, implication for social welfare services and practice methods for the family caregivers was discussed.