NURS 372: Final Exam Review (New
Content)
Caregiver
- an individual who helps with physical and psychological care for a person in need
Caregiver Burden/Role Strain
- a multidimensional response to physical, psychological, emotional, social and financial
stressors associated with the caregiving experience
Palliative Care
- an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families who face
problems associated with life-threatening illnesses
Long-Term Caregiving
- long-term is usually the result of chronic, progressive conditions, temporary may just
be because of a surgery or something where someone needs assistance for a little bit
(may need help with ADLs, grocery shopping, cooking, etc.)
- long-term from a family member usually occurs within the home
Attributes of Caregiving
- assisting with ADLs (bathing, walking, feeding)
- emotional and social support
- manage and coordinate healthcare services
- appointments, making sure doctors have correct information, etc.
Spousal Caregivers
- deal with high stress related to the caregiver role; often have pessimistic view of the
patients illness; often their own lives and activities and work are disrupted to care for the
spouse as they typically have significant physical and/or cognitive disorders (stroke,
dementia, cancer, etc.)
- starting to see a new branch with spouses of those returning from military service
- physical and emotional wounds must be dealt with and they must face the reality that
they may have lost the spouse that they once knew
Adult Children Caregivers
- why are adult children often considered to be a part of the sandwich generation? They
are caring for aging parents as well as children of their own that are growing up in the
household
- what type of losses may they experience? Loss of a parent they once knew, loss or
change of job, changing social networks
Grandparent Caregivers
- grandparents caring for grandchildren for various reasons (children passed away, may
be in prison, drug issues, or abuse/neglect issues)
- why might they feel overwhelmed?
- they are trying to raise grandchildren on a fixed income; idea of who is going to care
for the children when the grandparents are no longer around is overwhelming as well
- normal aging while caring for a young child is also overwhelming, they are busy and
aging people have a harder time caring for them
,Parental Caregivers
- when the parent becomes a caregiver once the child reaches an age in which they
would normally be able to care for themselves (can be due to conditions the child was
born with, later in life accident that causes spinal cord injury, child with PTSD from
military combat, etc.)
Positive Caregiver Outcomes
- satisfaction: from being able to help their family member with caregiving
- adult children may say that their parents raised them, so now it is their turn to return
the favor
- duty fulfillment
- in some cultures, this is an expected part of life and is fulfilling their duty
Negative Caregiver Outcomes
- stressed
- depressed
- burdened
Caregiver Stress
- prolonged caregiving is a stressor (especially for a long period of time)
- what is caregiver stress also known as?
- caregiver burden or caregiver role strain
- why is caregiving so stressful?
- the longer the caregiving continues, the more stressful it becomes
- many caregivers are caring for someone who has a progressive disease (ex:
dementia)
Caregiver Stress Continued
- can go from checking on them once or twice a day and taking them to appointments to
progressing to moving in with the family member to keep them safe and keep an eye on
them
- will have more need for help with ADLs
- can negatively impact the caregiver's health and well-being
Factors Influencing Reaction to Caregiving
- perception of the experience
- ability to cope and the ability of coping resources
- individuals expectations and culture
Perception of the Experience
- does a caregiver want their family member to age successfully?
- spouse may think it wasn't what they signed up for when caring for a returning combat
veteran
Ability to Cope and Availability of Coping Resources
- if a person doesn't already have established coping mechanisms, it can make a
caregiving situation more stressful
- caregivers that don't have any outlet may be more susceptible to stress
- recommendations to help: wellness activities, support groups
Individuals Expectations and Culture
, - in some cultures, it is the expectation that the younger generations will take care of the
older ones
- caregivers' expectations, which may be unrealistic, may lead to stress
- many caregivers do not fully comprehend what is required to care for a loved one, can
make feel some feel like they are in over their head and may become angry
Common Stressors
- change in roles and relationships
- juggling day-to-day activities with caregiving
- change in living arrangements
- lack of understanding of the time and energy the demands require
- family conflict
- lack of respite or relief from responsibilities
- inability to meet personal self-care needs
- financial depletion of resources
- inadequate information or skills needed for caregiving tasks
Change in Roles and Relationships
- can be huge and is commonly seen when the adult child becomes the caregiver
- may be resentment from the parent being cared for as they may feel as though they
are being treated as a child; child may feel the parent can no longer function
independently
- can be conflict in deciding when the parent needs help and can't do things on their
own anymore
Juggling Day-to-Day Activities with Caregiving
- can be a challenge
- some caregivers are in the sandwich generation
- may be trying to juggle work, activities of children, plus needs of their parent
Change in Living Arrangements
- caregiver either moves in with person they are caring for or vice versa
- can be stressful as people adjust to a new normal, maintaining privacy, new
schedules, etc.
Lack of Understanding of Time and Energy the Demands Require
- practice makes perfect
- can be lack of education on our part about how to assist the person requiring help, etc.
Family Conflict
- families that didn't get along before someone became a caregiver may continue to
struggle with conflict
Lack of Respite Care or Relief from Responsibilities
- often becomes one adult child caring for a parent, even if there are siblings, typically a
female child
- if the other siblings or someone else isn't able to help, even for a short period of time,
makes the demand on the one caregiver a 24 hour job
Inability to Meet Personal Self-Care Needs
- particularly in adult children caring for aging parents, caring for a disabled child
- health concerns of caregiver may not be addressed due to time constraints
Financial Depletion of Resources
Content)
Caregiver
- an individual who helps with physical and psychological care for a person in need
Caregiver Burden/Role Strain
- a multidimensional response to physical, psychological, emotional, social and financial
stressors associated with the caregiving experience
Palliative Care
- an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families who face
problems associated with life-threatening illnesses
Long-Term Caregiving
- long-term is usually the result of chronic, progressive conditions, temporary may just
be because of a surgery or something where someone needs assistance for a little bit
(may need help with ADLs, grocery shopping, cooking, etc.)
- long-term from a family member usually occurs within the home
Attributes of Caregiving
- assisting with ADLs (bathing, walking, feeding)
- emotional and social support
- manage and coordinate healthcare services
- appointments, making sure doctors have correct information, etc.
Spousal Caregivers
- deal with high stress related to the caregiver role; often have pessimistic view of the
patients illness; often their own lives and activities and work are disrupted to care for the
spouse as they typically have significant physical and/or cognitive disorders (stroke,
dementia, cancer, etc.)
- starting to see a new branch with spouses of those returning from military service
- physical and emotional wounds must be dealt with and they must face the reality that
they may have lost the spouse that they once knew
Adult Children Caregivers
- why are adult children often considered to be a part of the sandwich generation? They
are caring for aging parents as well as children of their own that are growing up in the
household
- what type of losses may they experience? Loss of a parent they once knew, loss or
change of job, changing social networks
Grandparent Caregivers
- grandparents caring for grandchildren for various reasons (children passed away, may
be in prison, drug issues, or abuse/neglect issues)
- why might they feel overwhelmed?
- they are trying to raise grandchildren on a fixed income; idea of who is going to care
for the children when the grandparents are no longer around is overwhelming as well
- normal aging while caring for a young child is also overwhelming, they are busy and
aging people have a harder time caring for them
,Parental Caregivers
- when the parent becomes a caregiver once the child reaches an age in which they
would normally be able to care for themselves (can be due to conditions the child was
born with, later in life accident that causes spinal cord injury, child with PTSD from
military combat, etc.)
Positive Caregiver Outcomes
- satisfaction: from being able to help their family member with caregiving
- adult children may say that their parents raised them, so now it is their turn to return
the favor
- duty fulfillment
- in some cultures, this is an expected part of life and is fulfilling their duty
Negative Caregiver Outcomes
- stressed
- depressed
- burdened
Caregiver Stress
- prolonged caregiving is a stressor (especially for a long period of time)
- what is caregiver stress also known as?
- caregiver burden or caregiver role strain
- why is caregiving so stressful?
- the longer the caregiving continues, the more stressful it becomes
- many caregivers are caring for someone who has a progressive disease (ex:
dementia)
Caregiver Stress Continued
- can go from checking on them once or twice a day and taking them to appointments to
progressing to moving in with the family member to keep them safe and keep an eye on
them
- will have more need for help with ADLs
- can negatively impact the caregiver's health and well-being
Factors Influencing Reaction to Caregiving
- perception of the experience
- ability to cope and the ability of coping resources
- individuals expectations and culture
Perception of the Experience
- does a caregiver want their family member to age successfully?
- spouse may think it wasn't what they signed up for when caring for a returning combat
veteran
Ability to Cope and Availability of Coping Resources
- if a person doesn't already have established coping mechanisms, it can make a
caregiving situation more stressful
- caregivers that don't have any outlet may be more susceptible to stress
- recommendations to help: wellness activities, support groups
Individuals Expectations and Culture
, - in some cultures, it is the expectation that the younger generations will take care of the
older ones
- caregivers' expectations, which may be unrealistic, may lead to stress
- many caregivers do not fully comprehend what is required to care for a loved one, can
make feel some feel like they are in over their head and may become angry
Common Stressors
- change in roles and relationships
- juggling day-to-day activities with caregiving
- change in living arrangements
- lack of understanding of the time and energy the demands require
- family conflict
- lack of respite or relief from responsibilities
- inability to meet personal self-care needs
- financial depletion of resources
- inadequate information or skills needed for caregiving tasks
Change in Roles and Relationships
- can be huge and is commonly seen when the adult child becomes the caregiver
- may be resentment from the parent being cared for as they may feel as though they
are being treated as a child; child may feel the parent can no longer function
independently
- can be conflict in deciding when the parent needs help and can't do things on their
own anymore
Juggling Day-to-Day Activities with Caregiving
- can be a challenge
- some caregivers are in the sandwich generation
- may be trying to juggle work, activities of children, plus needs of their parent
Change in Living Arrangements
- caregiver either moves in with person they are caring for or vice versa
- can be stressful as people adjust to a new normal, maintaining privacy, new
schedules, etc.
Lack of Understanding of Time and Energy the Demands Require
- practice makes perfect
- can be lack of education on our part about how to assist the person requiring help, etc.
Family Conflict
- families that didn't get along before someone became a caregiver may continue to
struggle with conflict
Lack of Respite Care or Relief from Responsibilities
- often becomes one adult child caring for a parent, even if there are siblings, typically a
female child
- if the other siblings or someone else isn't able to help, even for a short period of time,
makes the demand on the one caregiver a 24 hour job
Inability to Meet Personal Self-Care Needs
- particularly in adult children caring for aging parents, caring for a disabled child
- health concerns of caregiver may not be addressed due to time constraints
Financial Depletion of Resources
